Five things to learn from Modi

Machiavelli in his "The Prince" described the principles of statecraft for the king. He described the desirable attitudinal and behavioral qualities of a ruler. Modi Ji has gained a king like status in the country, at least within his own party. He has become the most followed leader around the world. Thus, I felt the quest of learning from his larger than life persona.

So he first, As Machiavelli had rightly said, "A king is better feared than loved". Modi Ji has a dual personality. He spreads the love with his programme like Man ki Baat but he does crush his opposition in his speeches and from his actions. The cleanness of heart which is shown towards a common man is not reflected in his actions against opposition. Maybe he sees a genuine culprit or maybe he knows the game he is in. On one hand he teaches the junta about ethics, cooperative federalism and spirit of dissent in the democracy while on the other hand, his is hell-bent on unseating congress from all the major states.

He thinks big. He has grand visions. An amazing quality and a must for India's prime minister. Be it the idea of revising solar policy or visiting as many countries of the world as possible, he has the energy, vision and force to push things around.

He is a great media manager. He knows when to pose for a photo or what to say and what not. His speech skills combined with his media management abilities makes him invincible in many situations. It's a deadly combination. He has immense knowledge about India's past, present and the future. He is really good at coining new words. He speaks extempore. He dresses well and remains neat most of the time.

As a politician, one must possess the art of reading the mind of people. So here comes the fourth. His psychological abilities to predict the expectation of masses is unmatchable. He knows his audience be it the opponent or a common man. His rhetorical oratory skill gives goosebumps to hardcore patriots. He understands what people are looking for and speaks in their language. See his electoral jumlas like getting 15 lakh in each account from black money. As Machiavelli said, a new ruler must decide beforehand what all injuries he will need to inflict. Modi seems to have made up his mind in this regard.

Lastly, he has made some tectonic changes in the administrative setup of the country. This is a task easier said than done. However, Modi Ji managed it with his deep understanding of how bureaucracy works in the higher echelon of power. So the assertiveness and art of persuasion could be learned from him.

Summarizing Modi in five points is an injustice to his hard-earned talent. He has silenced his hard-critics with his behaviour, actions and demeanour. Yes, voices are rising again given the complexity of Indian economy and booming aspirations of masses but at the personal level, he has managed Media very well. How long does this honeymoon of Indian junta last with him is a matter of speculation? But in the meantime, we can learn various qualities from his living example.