Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership has now become a subject of academic study. The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, one of India’s oldest institutions, has introduced a first-of-its-kind
sociology module on his leadership philosophy. The course, part of its two-year Master’s programme, is titled “Sociology of Patriotism”.
At the core of the module is “Modi Tattva”, which focuses on the Prime Minister’s “charismatic leadership” and its influence on society, and will be taught under the university’s BA and MA programmes in Sociology. A report quoted Virendra Singh, head of the sociology department, who said the idea of the study module is to examine leadership through established sociological frameworks.
He pointed to the work of Max Weber, whose concept of charismatic authority has been used to study figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Singh said a similar approach is being applied to PM Modi as a subject of academic inquiry.
Course structure and themes
The module is divided into four papers, each with 15 hours of teaching. It will examine themes such as media and digital nationalism, citizenship and dissent, and globalisation and identity politics.
According to Virendra Singh, these components explore why PM Modi’s popularity has grown, how his acceptance has spread widely and what factors have helped him remain in power for a long period.
The course also looks at key policy decisions, including demonetisation, the digital push, Fastag, and the Jal Shakti Ministry. The university said these initiatives reflect how the Prime Minister responds to public expectations, which may explain his sustained support.
The idea for the module emerged from fieldwork carried out by students in remote villages under a project linked to NITI Aayog. During these surveys, researchers observed that certain groups involved in implementing public projects were associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
This, Virendra Singh said, highlighted the need for a structured sociological study of such influences.
Nationalism
Beyond “Modi Tattva”, the course also covers broader themes such as nationalism, the nation-state, and cultural identity from a global perspective. It includes the work of social reformers like Sayajirao Gaekwad III and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
University officials say the module is designed to study contemporary political leadership as a social phenomenon.
