BEYOND THE HEADLINES
A comprehensive view of Modi's work and vision
You can neither manufacture nor buy leadership. You must earn it. Great leaders are great doers. They have a knack of organising and inspiring followers. Sometimes, they even generate cult-like loyalty. When the followers are ready, the leaders show up. Therefore, in times of crisis, uncertainty and dissatisfaction, unexpected people become leaders. This was the case with Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. In short, ordinary people become extraordinary leaders. Great leaders derive boundless energy from their purpose and passion. To them, leadership is all about people. Management is all about grit and determination. Great leaders not only promise the future but deliver it. Great leaders are great architects. They imagine building something unique, enduring and inspiring. Great leaders have passion, caring and capability. This is also true of great teachers.
Narendra Modi’s achievements in uplifting Gujarat, both socially and economically, by focusing on energy, infrastructure, and education are simply remarkable. It has resulted in a sense of pride and ‘can do’attitude among Gujaratis and the rest of India. Uday Mahurkar's chapters on how Modi's government has used technology to cut red tape and bring transparency as well as his finance management are very important. For India, these prove that success in governance and development are not possible without precise use of technology and good finance management, free from the pulls of India's appeasement politics. The chapters on energy and finance management demonstrate Modi's great fortitude and vision in keeping himself above the practice of distribution of Government largesse to special groups for the sake of votes.
Just how Modi refused to stop the drive against power theft despite political pressure on the eve of the Assembly election in 2007 reveals his uncommon political will and commitment to good governance. Through this book, one gets a palpable feel of Modi's tireless energy, mission-driven focus, and largely impressive execution. Significantly, Modi was so far largely known to the world outside because of his Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment summits. Mahurkar gives an all-round view of Modi, his work, and his comprehensive vision covering all sectors.
The book also gives a very interesting account of how some of Gujarat's public sector undertakings were brought out of the red by Modi with his strong administrative ability and political will marked by his landmark decision to not appoint politicians as chairmen of these PSUs. In this the turnaround of Gujarat Electricity Board (now Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd) from a perpetually loss making body to a new, vibrant, profit-making entity is a lesson in administrative commitment. The description about Modi's messianic zeal to propagate micro-irrigation techniques like drip and sprinkler through his Government's Gujarat Green Revolution Company in the chapter on agriculture and water will give the reader a very clear idea about his agro and water vision.