Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been featured on the cover page of the latest Asia edition of the Time magazine. The article in the issue dated March 26, 2012 praises Modi’s leadership qualities but wonders if he can become the Prime Minister.
The cover page reads: Modi means business, but can he lead India?
Inside, the story on Modi has headline ‘Boy from the backyard’. The story reads: “…Modi is a controversial, ambitious and shrewd politician.” A photo line in the article reads: “Designs on Delhi: Modi is tipped as a contender to be India’s next Prime Minister.”
The article says: “Modi’s ability to get things done is in stark contrast to the Congress-led central government in New Delhi.”
The story observes that Modi doesn’t put his faith on display. His office has no religious icons but two statues of his hero Vivekananda.
Time magazine describes Modi as a self-made man, succeeding without family connections adding that “Modi’s family is invisible in a country where nepotism and dynastic politics are the norm.”
Some of the other nugget on Modi include: “Modi sleeps only 3.5 hours a night, his brother working in state govt office has never visited Modi’s office in last 10 years.”
About the progress of the state, Modi tells the Time magazine “It is not luck, it’s a carefully devised process.” Time magazine observes that Gujarat’s success is a result of good planning — exactly what so much of India lacks.
The last line of the article reads: “If he succeeds, India may never be the same.”
A Gujarati appearing on the cover of The Time is not a first of its kind. Gujaratis who have occupied the front cover of the international edition of the Time magazine in the history till now are: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Zinnah, Morarji Desai and Parvin Babi. Among them Mahatma Gandhi has been on the cover for three times.
