"- My strength lies not in my name, but in the backing of 1.4 billion Indians, and thousands of years of timeless culture and heritage. So, wherever I go, I carry with me the essence of thousands of ye..."

"Whenever we speak of peace, the world listens to us. Because India is the land of Gautama Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. And Indians aren't hardwired to espouse strife and conflict. We espouse harmony ins..."

"But we never really felt the burden of poverty. You see, someone who is used to wearing fine shoes will feel their absence when they don’t have them. But for us, we had never worn shoes in our lives, ..."

"I believe even the people of Pakistan long for peace. Look, regarding what you said about criticism and how I deal with it, if I had to summarize in one sentence, I welcome it. I have a strong belief ..."

"- The following is a conversation with Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. It was one of the most moving conversations and experiences of my life. Allow me here to say a few words about it. Pl..."

"Now, at this moment in history, it's clear, at least to me, that the flourishing of human civilization hangs in the balance, with several wars on the brink of escalation to regional and even global co..."

"For this and many other reasons, this conversation with Prime Minister Modi was one of the most remarkable I've ever had. You may hear such words and think that I'm just enamored by power or access. N..."

"characterized by warmth, kindness, humor, inner and outer peace, and absolute focus on the conversation between us in the present moment as if nothing else existed. I have heard from many people that ..."

"This is the "Lex Fridman Podcast." And now, dear friends, here's the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. So, I should also say, I’m fasting right now. It’s been almost two days, 45 hours. So just ..."

"the body, mind, intellect, soul, and humanity. They outline various paths, traditions, and systems to achieve this and fasting is one of them. But fasting alone isn’t everything. In India, whether you..."

"Your senses become extra sharp, highly aware, and fully tuned in. And uh, their capability, to observe and to respond, multiplies and grows sharper. I have personally often experienced this. Another t..."

"My practice of fasting didn’t come from reading books, listening to sermons, or following a tradition just because my family happened to have observed it. It came from my own personal experience. Duri..."

"- So you still do meetings with world leaders, you still manage the affairs of India, you still carry out your role as a leader on the world stage, all fasted and sometimes nine days? - Well, this pra..."

"and this has become a deeply ingrained tradition in my life. Perhaps I can say that I’ve been following these practices for 50 to 55 years. - Has there been times when you met with a world leader and ..."

"How do you host the leader of such a major nation at the White House without serving food? When we sat down, they brought me a glass of hot water. I turned to President Obama and jokingly said, "Look,..."

"we uncovered findings that hold immense historical significance. So far, they have discovered evidence dating back 2,800 years, proving that this city has remained unbroken and eternal for all those 2..."

"my siblings, my uncles, aunts, grandparents, we all grew up together in a small house. The place we lived was likely even smaller than where we are sitting now. There was no window, just a small door...."

"making a distinct ‘tok tok tok’ sound when he walked. People in the village used to say that they could tell the time just by hearing his footsteps, "Oh yes," they would say: "Mr. Damodar is on his wa..."

"but from childhood, our mother was extremely particular about cleanliness. Perhaps that’s where we inherited that habit too. Not sure how I picked up the habit of dressing neatly, but it’s been there ..."

"it was woven into the very fabric of her being. She possessed knowledge of traditional remedies and healing practices and would treat children with these remedies. Every morning, before sunrise, aroun..."

"Hardships exist to make me stronger, helping me grow and improve, not to leave me hopeless or discouraged. Personally, I see every crisis, every challenge, as an opportunity. So, to all young people, ..."

"Now, my mother tongue is Gujarati, and We were not very familiar with the Hindi language, nor did we know how to speak it eloquently or communicate effectively. But as a child, I used to sit at my fat..."

"it grows from the depths of what you give. - And I should say that this young kid, one of the things I dreamed of doing is to do this very thing to talk to you today. So this is a very surreal. At 17,..."

"When I used to read about Swami Vivekananda or read about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I would often wonder: how did they live? How did they build such remarkable lives? And for that, I constantly exp..."

"One time, I read about Swami Vivekananda. His mother was ill, so he went to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa for guidance. He would argue with him, debate with him. In his early days, he would often argue ..."

"and from that came the spirit of giving. I believe that perhaps that small incident in Vivekananda's life left an impression on me too, the thought of ‘What can I give to the world?’ Maybe true conten..."

"and sleeping like that for nine or ten days. It was a kind of spiritual vow, and this saint was observing it. During those same days, my maternal uncle’s family was preparing for my aunt’s wedding. Ev..."

"others call me the Chief Minister, and that's how they see me from their perspective. But deep within, there is only an unwavering spiritual commitment. The Modi who lovingly helped his mother care fo..."

"- Another part of your life of who you are is you've spoken your whole life about putting your nation of India above all else. When you were eight, you joined the RSS, which espouses the idea of Hindu..."

"It is now nearing its 100th anniversary. Such a massive volunteer organization likely doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world Millions of people are connected to it. But understanding RSS is not that..."

"Similarly, some volunteers, nurtured by RSS, are dedicated to serving tribal communities through Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. They live among the tribal people, working for their welfare. They have establis..."

"The volunteers who come from the RSS follow their own interests, nature, and inclination and in doing so, they strengthen and promote these kinds of activities. When you observe these initiatives, you..."

"- Look, India is a cultural identity. It is a civilization that dates back thousands of years. Consider the vastness of India, over a hundred languages, thousands of dialects. India is so diverse that..."

"Pilgrimage traditions played a key role in preserving this unity. Shankaracharya established the four pilgrimage sites. Even today, millions of people travel from one place to another for pilgrimage. ..."

"Gandhi forged a mass movement so immense that the British could never fully grasp it. The British never imagined that a pinch of salt from the Dandi March could spark a massive revolution, and he made..."

"You see, I recall something that happened all the way back in 2013. It was when my party declared I would be their Prime Ministerial candidate. My critics often tried to corner me on one point. It bec..."

"Organizations like the United Nations came into being after the First World War, but they failed to evolve with the times. And this inability to adapt has sparked a global debate on their relevance. -..."

"Time and again they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don't mistake this for ideology. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror? And ..."

"Because even they must be weary of living in strife and unrest. They must have grown weary of relentless terror, where even innocent children are killed and countless lives are destroyed. - Are there ..."

"beautifully captured that historic gesture in his memoir. This was a testament to how clear and confident India's foreign policy had become. This sent a clear message to the world about India's commit..."

"But sometimes, the results speak for themselves. Just a few days ago, India and Pakistan played a match. The result reveals which is the better team. That’s how we know. - Yeah, I've, I've watched the..."

"There’s a state in India called Madhya Pradesh, right in the center. There’s a district called Shahdol, a completely tribal region where a large tribal community resides. I really enjoy interacting wi..."

"and, reinvigorated your friendship with Donald Trump. What do you like about Donald Trump as a friend, as a leader? - I'd like to share with you an event that stands out in my memory. Perhaps from tha..."

"He makes his own decisions, but also, he trusted me and my lead in that moment enough to have walked with me into the crowd. It was that sense of mutual trust, a strong bond between us, that I truly w..."

"And I believe that, across the world, politicians are covered so much by the media that people mostly perceive each other through its lens. People rarely get the chance to truly meet or personally kno..."

"That was my experience from our first meeting. Later, when his first term ended and President Biden won, four years passed. But during that time, whenever someone we both knew met him, and this must h..."

"but in a positive manner. And because of that, no one takes offense. People know that if Modi is present, he will strongly advocate for these things. After all, the people of India have given me this ..."

"Even within a family, not everything is always perfect. But our focus is to ensure that these differences don’t turn into disputes. That’s what we actively work toward. Instead of discord, we emphasiz..."

"- The world is worried about a brewing global war. The tensions between China and the United States in Ukraine, Russia, in Europe, in Israel, the Middle East, what can you say about how we in the twen..."

"And the wars have only made it worse. I believe that modern wars are no longer just about resources or interests. Today, I see so many kinds of conflicts happening. Physical battles often get discusse..."

"And from all the different forums I attend, one thing is clear, everyone is deeply worried about these conflicts. We can only hope that peace is restored very soon. - I'm not very good at this. - You ..."

"- Look, regarding you first point, when you humbly said That you don't know what you are doing, that you're not good at this. I disagree and personally feel you've put in tremendous care. You've done ..."

"- Thank you - Regarding the earlier events that you mentioned, like the 2002 riots in Gujarat, I'd like to paint you a clearer picture of the 12 to 15 months leading up to that, so you can fully under..."

"Because ultimately, the people behind these attacks are driven by a similar mindset. Then, in October 2001, terrorists attacked the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Soon after, on December 13, 2001, India’..."

"For the first time in my life, I had to face elections. On February 24, 2002, I became a State Representative, an elected representative, for the first time. And it was only around February 24th, 25th..."

"you can imagine how tense and volatile the situation was. Of course, this was tragic for everyone, everyone prefers peace. The perception that these were the biggest riots ever is actually misinformat..."

"Because of this, anyone who wishes to contribute joins us willingly. We've continuously strived to turn Gujarat into a well-developed state, and today, Gujarat is actively contributing toward building..."

"In fact, I believe we should have more criticism, and it should be sharp and well-informed. But my real complaint is that nowadays, what we see isn't real criticism. Genuine criticism requires thoroug..."

"Their strengths, their flaws, the mistakes they have made, but that requires great, great, great preparation. So this, I wish there was more of that, of great journalism. - Yes. Clear, well-directed, ..."

"that you’d have to hide your face for three days straight! However, some people selectively picked up just half of my analogy and created a huge controversy out of it. Honestly, was I being negative a..."

"- Well, I've been actively involved in politics for years. Before stepping into active politics, my focus was primarily on organizational work. This also included managing elections and strategizing c..."

"As you may know, I had once set out on a quest for spiritual awakening. So now, I revere my nation as the divine itself. And I now revere the people as a manifestation of the divine. Like a devoted pr..."

"It fortifies people's trust in the BJP, echoed in the election results. I never tallied our election triumphs, but we have had people's blessings. - I was wondering if you could speak to the incredibl..."

"It even surpasses the total population of the entire European Union. Out of the 980 million registered voters, 646 million people ventured out and braved the intense heat of May, determined to cast th..."

"I firmly believe that India's Election Commission sets a global standard as a benchmark for conducting free and fair elections. It is the apex decision-maker. This in itself is such a remarkable story..."

"This is one of the main reasons I love the United States. But there's just nothing quite as beautiful as democracy when it functions in India. You know, like you said, 900 million people registered to..."

"Rather than seeking power, I stay committed to doing and getting work done. I am more focused on productivity than power. I have always dedicated myself to serving the people. I have always devoted my..."

"That’s why the very notion of struggling with loneliness has never even remotely crossed my mind. Like at the time of pandemic. With the lockdown and traveling restrictions in place, I came up with a ..."

"I carried on with this throughout the pandemic. It gave me the chance to reconnect and relive old memories with familiar faces. Loneliness is never a concern for me, as I always find ways to stay enga..."

"So I think: how can I sleep? How can I relax? So naturally, the motivation is right in front of my eyes, those very things around me keep me motivated. Secondly, my responsibilities keep pushing me fo..."

"Srinivasa Ramanujan once said that his mathematical ideas came from the goddess he worshipped. Meaning, ideas emerge from spiritual discipline. and discipline is more than just hard work. It means ful..."

"of the ground realities and grassroots-level issues. not something asked or heard, or learned merely from books. Secondly, from a governance perspective, I carry no baggage of any kind. I don't carry ..."

"So ultimately, my economy benefited as well. My approach has always been to stay focused on these fundamentals. Another strength is my risk-taking capacity. I don’t worry about potential losses for my..."

"- You gave a powerful speech on AI a few weeks ago at the AI Summit in France. In it you spoke about the talent pool for AI engineers in India. I think it's probably one of the biggest pools of brilli..."

"- One thing I'm about to say might sound strong, and it may even upset some people. But since you've asked, I'll speak openly from my heart: No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incom..."

"I believe this is a hallmark of our civilizational ethos. - So you spoke about this human intelligence. Do you worry that AI, artificial intelligence, will replace us humans? - It's true that in every..."

"It has always been the case. After all, it is humans who find the best ways to use technology to their advantage. And I believe that with AI, humans are now being forced to reflect on what it truly me..."

"I watched a bunch of them so you you give advice on how to succeed in exams, how to manage stress, all those kind of things. Can you explain on a high level the different exams that students in India ..."

"I remember when I was a student, I had a teacher whose learning techniques still greatly appeal to me today. He would give us children specific instructions. To one child, he would say, "Tomorrow, bri..."

"That confidence makes a person deliver results. - How did those students deal with stress, with struggle, with difficulties along that path? - Parents must first understand that life is not just about..."

"- And you said, always focus on learning. What's your approach to learning? What advice can you give on how to learn best, not just when you are young, but throughout your life? - Let me share a perso..."

"Most people stress so much about the future that their present quietly slips away. Before they know it, the moment has already faded into the past. - Yeah, I've heard a lot of stories of you having me..."

"After all, death is inevitable, and there's no use worrying about when it will arrive. It will arrive when it's meant to. - What gives you hope about the future, not just of India, but all of human ci..."

"If I associate Dhyaan to meditation, it might seem burdensome to some. One might think: "This is too difficult. I'm not an enlightened being." But it's not rocket science. It just means freeing yourse..."

"These ancient and powerful rituals, born in India, have emerged from thousands of years of the spiritual practice of sages. They connect us to the essence of life. - <i>Shaantih, shaantih, shaantih.</..."

"After fasting for two days, I recommend you ease into eating slowly. And I hope you reap great benefits from this fasting experience. I’ve explored several new realms of thought for the first time eve..."

"and just great people all around. And since I spoke English and Prime Minister Modi spoke Hindi, I have to comment on the interpreter who was doing simultaneous interpreting for both of us. She was ab..."

"They're all different flavors of America. On my visit, I walked around and rode rickshaws everywhere, just aimlessly wandering the streets, looking to talk to people about life. Of course, like many p..."

"When I travel through Eastern Europe, for example, in contrast, reading a person is much tougher. The meme does have some truth to it. There's often a protective layer between the heart of the person ..."

"with my friend Paul Rosolie in the near future, maybe with some other friends, all around from the north of India to the south. Now allow me to also comment about one of the books that first drew me t..."

"During this period, he began psychoanalysis with Carl Jung, which in part led him to explore Eastern philosophies as a way to heal his fractured psyche. Hesse immersed himself in translations of ancie..."

"I won't go into a deep analysis of the book here, but I will mention two key lessons I took away and carried with me to this day. First lesson comes from this scene in the book that to me is one of th..."

"Those are my early steps in seeing the world through the lens of Eastern philosophy. But many of Hesse's books had an impact on me. I would recommend to read "Demian" when you are younger, "Steppenwol..."