'I Remember My Mother Telling Me…': PM Modi's Nostalgic Post as He Enters 25th Year in Public Service

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shared a long post on X, formerly Twitter, as he went down memory lane to the time when he first became Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, and recalled the journey from those early years to today, when he is serving as Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, marking his 25th year in public service.PM Modi, while reflecting on his transition from Chief Minister to Prime Minister, recalled an advice his mother Hiraben had given him that 'work for the poor, second' and 'never take a bribe' adding that this was an invaluable lesson for him.Taking to X, PM Modi said, "On this very day in 2001, I took oath for the first time as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Today, I have entered the 25th year of my

service to the God-like public—Janata-Janardan—as the head of the government. In a democratic system, this milestone is a great blessing from the people of India."

"In these years, every single day, every single moment, I have strived to work with dedication to improve the lives of my fellow citizens and for their development. It is my good fortune that I have continuously received the affection of all of you people," PM Modi said.

PM Modi recalled "when my party ordered me to take the oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the state was facing numerous challenges at that time. It was a testing time for the people of the state. In the same year, a devastating earthquake struck the state. Due to cyclones and droughts, the lives of millions of people were disrupted. There was political instability in Gujarat. And at such a time, I was chosen to serve Gujarat. The crises did not break our morale; rather, they provided the inspiration to build a strong, prosperous, and newly constructed Gujarat."

"When I became the Chief Minister—my mother Hiraben had said to me that I don't know much about your work, but always remember two things of mine. First—work for the poor and second, never take a bribe. This lesson I received from my mother was invaluable. I resolved that we would strive to make the best efforts in serving the public—the people, and every work of the government would be inspired by the spirit of Antyodaya," the Prime Minister said.Continuing further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "in this 25-year journey, I gained a wealth of experiences. Together, we all achieved many milestones as well. I still remember vividly that when I became the Chief Minister, there were some people who said certain things about Gujarat at that time. It was said, Gujarat would never be able to rise again. Our citizens, our farmer brethren, were struggling with crises of electricity and water. Agriculture had been ruined, industries were at a standstill. But the unwavering resolve of the people of Gujarat demonstrated that if the public sets its mind to something, then the fulfilment of that resolve is inevitable. And look at it today, that same Gujarat is advancing forward as a powerhouse of governance."

PM Modi mentioned that Gujarat, which once struggled with drought, is today becoming the growth engine of the agriculture sector. Over the past 2 decades, there has been a massive revolution in Gujarat's manufacturing and industrial capacity.

Things like curfews, violence, and tension have become a thing of the past. There has been a huge improvement in social and physical infrastructure. Today, it gives me great satisfaction to see how much better people's lives have become due to these changes, he informed.

Narendra Modi as Prime Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that in 2013, the Bharatiya Janata Party made him the claimant for the post of Prime Minister and entrusted him with the responsibility of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections."Coincidentally, that era too was a time of unprecedented crises before our nation. There was immense distrust in the country towards the Congress government and its administration. The then-UPA government had become a symbol of corruption and misgovernance. India's credibility in the global order was continuously weakening. And in that situation, the great people of India resolved for change, trusted me, and chose me for their service. In 2014, the NDA government was formed and, after 3 decades, a party received a full majority," he said.

Over the past 11 years, PM Modi said, "we the people of India have achieved the pinnacle of hard work, taken decisive steps, and brought about numerous historic transformations in the country. Every section of society has been empowered. Special efforts have been made for our youth, our women power, and our farmers. India today is the country with the world's largest healthcare and social security schemes. It is the result of the sensitive government's efforts for the poor that 250 million people in the country have demonstrated by overcoming poverty. Today, India appears as a ray of hope amidst the economies of the world. Every citizen of the country is continuously striving for the nation's self-reliance."Several major reforms have been undertaken at the government level, and the call to proudly say in every sector, this is indigenous, is becoming the core mantra of self-reliance, he added.Prime Minister Modi further mentioned that once again he express his gratitude to the people of the country for their faith, their affection, and their blessings."This opportunity to serve Mother India is the greatest honour of this life. I assure all of you that, taking every word and every sentiment of the Constitution as our ideal.... we will continue to strive with the same dedication to realise the dream of a developed India," the Prime Minister concluded.