With American public representatives. From left: G Kishan Reddy, Ananth Kumar, Narendra Modi, Harishankar Gupta, Naresh Rawal and Bala Subramanyam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to America. Modi went to America for the first time in 1993. At that time he stayed in America for a month. After this, he went to Germany from America for 10 days. Recently Divya Bhaskar went to America with Modi in 1993
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Why did Modi go to America in 1993?
Outside the White House: From left to right… Kishan Reddy, Narendra Modi, Balasubramanian and J. Walters.
The American Council of Young Political Leaders runs an exchange program for young politicians from other countries including the US, under which seven young politicians from India had reached the US. Among these seven young politicians, 3 were from Congress, including Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy from Andhra Pradesh, Naresh Rawal from Gujarat and Harishankar Gupta from Delhi, 3 from BJP, including Narendra Modi from Gujarat, Kishan Reddy from Karnataka, Anant Kumar and Bala Subramaniam from Janata Dal from Tamil Nadu. Of these, Anant Kumar and Bala Subramaniam have passed away. Sudhakar Reddy and Naresh Rawal are currently in the BJP. Modi’s 40-day visit to the US and Germany began on 10 July 1993.
We used to speak in Gujarati: Rawal
Naresh Rawal, who served as the Industry Minister in the Chimanbhai government of Gujarat in 1993, said, “We used to stay together from morning till evening. I was very impressed with his words and thoughts from the very beginning. He had the potential to emerge as a leader. People from other states used to talk in Hindi and English, but Modi and I used to talk only in Gujarati. There are often programs of the Gujarati community in America. We used to participate in them too.”
Modi visited the flood affected areas by helicopter
Naresh Rawal and Narendra Modi.
Naresh Rawal said, we visited various cities of America and saw a lot. At that time, there was a flood in North and South Dakota of America, so we were also shown how to control the situation by visiting the flood-affected areas by helicopter. The Democrats also discussed India policy with the members of the Republican Party.
Harishankar Gupta, associated with All India Youth Congress, said- During that time, we had discussions with him on various issues. I felt that our biggest achievement of that tour was that the US government took us to NASA and showed us the whole of NASA. After this, we were also taken to the White House.
At that time, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy of Congress from Andhra Pradesh said – There, we were Indians first, then leaders of different parties. When we all met in Delhi, we had decided that we will first represent Indians in America. Our ideologies may be different, but we are Indian citizens and sons of India. Let us tell you, Sudhakar Reddy has joined BJP since 2019.
I took chutney powder with me.
From left: G. Kishan Reddy, Narendra Modi and Sudhakar Reddy.
In America, we used to tell the name of our party only when we introduced ourselves to someone. In America, we met Congress representatives, Senate members, Congress members, mayors and governors. Talking about food, Sudhakar Reddy says- Even though it was 31 years ago, even then Indian food was available at many places in America. But, I still took many things from South India including chutney powder.
Advani said- go clean shaven
G Kishan Reddy was the national general secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha at that time and is currently the coal-mines and minerals minister in the Modi government. Regarding the US tour, he said- It had been only five days since my father’s death at that time. But, respecting the party’s mandate, I came from Hyderabad to Delhi. At that time, BJP president LK Advani took a class of me and Narendra bhai. That is, he explained how to remain disciplined in America, how to talk to whom and what. At that time Narendra bhai and I had grown beards. He told us to go to America clean-shaven.
Narendra Modi with Suresh Jani.
Narendra bhai used to ask the questions
Kishan Reddy further said- When we used to meet various officials during our visit to America, Narendrabhai used to ask most of the questions. Whatever the officer or any other person said or explained, Narendrabhai used to record it in the diary. He used to listen to everything very seriously.
Modi used to do Puja-Paath early in the morning – Deepti Jani Suresh Jani, who lived in America, died in 2018. His wife Deepti Jani said in a conversation – My husband is originally from Mehsana and he came to America in 1987. He was associated with BJP since childhood. Whenever any BJP leader came to New York or New Jersey, he used to stay at our house. At that time we had a store in New York City and we lived in New Jersey.
Idol of goddess Saraswati was gifted
Suresh Jani with Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his wife Deepti and son Amit.
Deeptiben says- Narendrabhai came to our house in 1993. I did not talk to Narendrabhai much, but I used to listen to the conversations between him and my husband. Kishan Reddy and Anant Kumar also stayed at our house for a few days along with Narendra Modi. Being Gujarati, Narendrabhai had special respect for us. Narendrabhai is like an elder brother to me.
He used to wake up at 5 am every day. His prayers were over by the time the others woke up. He gifted us a statue of Saraswati Mata and the second time he came, he gifted us a Ganesha statue made of sandalwood. Suresh gifted Modi a watch. Whenever Modi met Suresh, he used to show him the watch he had given him.
Mother-in-law had said- you will become the CM of Gujarat
Narendra Modi with CK Patel in California.
Deeptiben further says- ‘When Narendrabhai was about to leave our house, my mother-in-law blessed him that one day he will become the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Along with this, she also gave him a gift of 51 dollars. When Narendrabhai became the CM of Gujarat for the first time, he also called my mother-in-law.
When we arrived at the restaurant
Sharing another incident, Deeptiben said- I still remember it very well. We had gone to an Indian restaurant in New York to eat. There, we were told that you will be given 13 dishes for 13 dollars. After we finished eating, the bill came and Suresh immediately started paying the bill, but Narendrabhai stopped him and said that the number of dishes in the food was not as much as was told. After this, we got a discount of 5-6 dollars from the restaurant. He advised Suresh not to be hasty in money transactions. After this, he asked him to give the discount money to the waiter as a tip.
When Narendrabhai’s passport was lost: Rasikbhai
Narendra Modi at Disneyland in California.
Suresh Jani’s close friend Rasikbhai said- When Narendrabhai saw the height of the Statue of Liberty, he said that we cannot build such a statue in Gujarat? Meaning that in 1993 itself he had dreamt of building the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. After becoming the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he fulfilled this dream. Recalling another incident, Rasikbhai said- At that time Narendrabhai’s passport was lost. However, we immediately got a new passport from the Indian Embassy.
Modi goes to the root of every matter: CK Patel
C.K. Patel of Gujarat is a hotelier in California. Narendra Modi also stayed at his house for three days. Patel said- My brother went to receive him at the airport. For three days we went to different places and also met many of our friends from Gujarat.
CK Patel further said- When he came to California, it was very hot. At that time, we three people were sitting in a non-AC car, which you can’t even imagine. During that time, we were very restless, but Narendrabhai was absolutely calm. He adjusts himself to every place. Apart from this, he is curious. When he saw something new, he was not satisfied with just seeing it, but he went to its root and got all the information.
I also visited Universal Studios and Disneyland.
CK Patel with Narendra Modi.
Narendrabhai wanted to see Universal Studios and Disneyland in California. So we went there too. We also did sports rides on the beach. Narendrabhai is very fond of photography. Whenever he saw something good anywhere, he would ask us to take a photo. He loves antiques. He used to read and listen to information related to it very seriously.
Modi arrived with two pairs of clothes in his bag
Recalling his first meeting with PM Modi, Dr. Bharat Barai said- ‘Swami Vivekananda gave a lecture in the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893. Narendra Modi came to Chicago with BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi to participate in his 100th anniversary. I went to the airport to receive him. During that time, he stayed at our house for 10 days. Narendra Modi was an RSS worker then.
Narendra Modi with Dr. Bharat Barai.
When Modi came to our house, he had a small 22-inch suitcase, which had only two pairs of clothes. The first thing he said to my wife was, ‘I know that in America you send clothes for laundry only once a week, but I have brought only two pairs of clothes. So my clothes will have to be washed every day.
Sharing another anecdote of PM Modi, Bharatbhai says- We used to discuss over tea everyday. He was very sad about whatever was happening in the country at that time. Once, while talking about the country, his eyes suddenly became moist.
Bharatbhai says smilingly- When the PM was at my house in Chicago, we used to discuss different issues every morning while drinking tea. So I can say that the discussion over tea started at my house 31 years ago.
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