Narendra Modi: The students’ prime minister

Perhaps one of the best outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on September 5 was that girl child education gained primacy in the minds of most students. “Girls in rural areas need to be educated, it is the fastest way to achieving development,” said Bhavya Shah, a class X student from Mumbai who thoroughly enjoyed the speech and the question-answer round that followed.

While Modi’s oratory skills are well known, it takes more than that to capture and retain the attention of school students. “He spoke as one of us. All his points were very relatable. It was the first time that such an important leader was interested to talk to us,” said Ashritha Narayan, another student in the city. Ranjini Krishnaswamy, ex principal of St. Gregorious High School drew a parallel between Modi and APJ Abdul Kalam who was also known for interacting with students. “It is essential to interact with children as they are the future leaders. Students voluntarily attended the screening and seemed very happy with the numerous anecdotes the prime minister shared,” she said.

The consistent use of examples throughout was another reason why the speech found resonance with most students. “We were discussing the pickpocket example which explained the relation between experience and learning even after the session concluded,” said Ashrita Narayan from Ryan International School, Malad. Pranay Punjabi, another student who concurred with Narayan’s views added, “All his answers were to the point and illustrated with relevant examples. It was all very easy to understand,” he said. In addition, every student this correspondent spoke to loved how the prime minister spoke about his childhood pranks.

Another important message which made a mark with the young audience was the emphasis on reading and saving electricity. “Mr. Modi said that by saving electricity at home, I can contribute to the progress of the country. I had never thought of it in that way,” said Radhika Singh, a class XI student from the city. “I loved the concept of switching off all the streetlights on a full moon night and enjoying the moonlight. It is something we never do,” added Punjabi.

While the prime minister’s interaction with students was definitely a success, there is always scope for more. “It would have been even better had Modi spoken to the teachers as well. There is so much that they want to talk about. Hopefully it will happen soon,” said Krishnaswamy. Even Modi's speech reflected this need. "I liked that part when he said about why we prefer being engineers, doctors and not teachers. At the end of the day, it's a teacher who can help you become whatever you want to," said Rishav Ojha, a student from Calcutta.