Journalism of Courage
Year nine and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains The Great Disruptor, The Powerful Outsider and the incumbent with the strongest shield against anti-incumbency as he leads his party’s campaign for a third term next year. By the way: Modi often encourages his council of ministers to talk and engage with junior officers and staff and learn from their experiences.
Together with PM Modi, he is one half of the BJP’s formidable Big Two. Despite not being national president of the BJP for 3 years now, Amit Shah’s imprint has been visible in each of the BJP’s big electoral victories. By the way: Shah was keen on his granddaughter learning Hindu scriptures, but left the decision to her mother. Today, six-year-old Rudri can recite verses from some of them.
In a year of global turmoil, amid the Russia-Ukraine war, S Jaishankar emerged as the most articulate advocate of India’s diplomatic tightrope walk on the global stage. By the way: He likes to play squash in his free time.
The top judge of the Supreme Court, Justice D Y Chandrachud’s tenure till November next year— and the verdicts the apex court delivers in big cases — will be keenly watched as it coincides with the general elections in 2024. By the way: He is a yoga enthusiast and nature lover.
The first UP CM to return to power after a full term, Yogi Adityanath has blended politics, ideology and governance to shape his tough CM image. By the way: Yoga and walking are part of his fitness regimen.
As the 2024 LS elections draw nearer, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment that there can be no Hindu rashtra without Muslims and his minority outreach efforts will be keenly watched. By the way: Not only does he enjoy listening to music, he also sings well.
Despite the BJP’s electoral loss in his home state, Himachal Pradesh, JP Nadda escaped almost unscathed as the BJP gave him an extension until June 2024 as national president. By the way: He enjoys watching old parliamentary proceedings.
As the country’s first full-time woman finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has presented five consecutive Budgets so far. Her big idea was to raise the tax threshold to Rs 7 lakh a year from Rs 5 lakh a year. By the way: She likes listening to Hindustani and Carnatic classical music.
The richest Indian, according to Forbes and Bloomberg, Mukesh Ambani has continued to acquire and form joint ventures to strengthen his position in various areas, including textile, renewable energy, drone technology and toy manufacturing. By the way: He is a teetotaller and sticks to a strict vegetarian diet. Ambani enjoys eating out, be it at roadside joints or at the best of restaurants.
On matters of security and diplomacy, Ajit Doval remains the key figure in the government whose judgement is relied upon by PM Narendra Modi. He had a key role in formulating India’s position vis-a-vis the Russian invasion of Ukraine. By the way: He enjoys cooking a good meal for friends.
