(Image source from: Know your Prime Minister })

Full name: Narendra Damodardas Modi

Date of Birth: September 17, 1950

Place of Birth: Vadnagar, Gujarat, India

Name of Father: Damodardas Modi

Name of Mother: Hiraba "Heeraben" Modi

Religion: Hindu

Education: Delhi University, B.A., 1978; Gujarat University, M.A., 1983

Spouse: Jashodaben (Chimanlal) Modi (1968-present, separated). Entered into an arranged marriage as a teenager with Smt Jashodaben Chimanlal. Left home in his late teens to travel India, stay in ashrams and wander in the Himalayas.

Modi uses social media and has both a Twitter and Facebook account. He is the most followed Asian leader on Twitter.

First prime minister born in independent India.

Events of Life 

October 3, 1972 - Officially joins the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

June 1975 - Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposes "emergency". Indian civil liberties are restricted, media censored and protesters are arrested. Modi becomes involved in the movement to restore civil rights.

1987 - Enters mainstream politics and joins the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is elected the BJP's general secretary of Gujarat.

October 3, 1995 - Becomes the national secretary of the BJP.

January 5, 1998 - Becomes the national general secretary.

October 2001 - Prime Minister Vajpayee names him chief minister of Gujarat.

February 27, 2002 - Muslim mob sets fire to a train of Hindu Karsevaks in the city of Godhra, killing and injuring over 100 people. Communal riots erupt in the days following the fire and Modi was accused of condoning the violent protests. He is never indicted on any of the charges of inciting communal violence by any court of law.

December 2002 - Wins the election for chief minister of Gujarat, after having stepped down following the riots in Godhra.

2005 - The United States declines to issue a diplomatic visa to him on grounds that he was responsible for the Godhra riots in 2002.

July 2007 - With 2,063 days in office, Modi becomes the longest serving chief minister in Gujarat, outlasting former chief minister Hitendra Kanaiyalal Desai.

December 23, 2007 - Modi is re-elected as chief minister of Gujarat.

December 20, 2012 - The BJP party wins 115 of the 161 seats to head the national government and lands Modi a fourth successive term as chief minister.

June 2013 - Modi is chosen as the BJP party leader, and campaigns for the 2014 general elections.

May 20, 2014 - The BJP wins the general election with majority on its own.

May 26, 2014 - Takes the oath of office as Prime Minister.

September 25, 2014 - The American Justice Center human rights group files a lawsuit against the prime minister for initiating and being complicit in the violence against Muslims in the 2002 Godhra riots.

September 27-30, 2014 - Modi makes his first visit to the United States as prime minister and meets President Barack Obama.

November 5, 2014 - Forbes Magazine ranks him 15th on its list of Most Powerful People.

November 16, 2014 - Unveils a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Brisbane, Australia.

December 8, 2014 - Time magazine readers name Modi as Person of the Year in an annual poll.

January 15, 2015 - The U.S. dismisses the lawsuit charging Modi with crimes against humanity.

By Premji