The life of Heeraben Modi: Source of PM Modi’s inspiration and her early struggles

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Dec
30:
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
in
a
blog
post
had
recalled
the
life
and
struggles
of
his
mother
Heeraben
Modi
who
passed
away
at
the
age
of
99
today.

On
her
birthday
this
year,
the
PM
spoke
very
highly
of
his
mother
and
recalled
her
early
struggles,
principles
which
had
stood
the
test
of
time.
He
also
mentioned
one
incident
in
which
he
wanted
to
facilitate
his
mother
as
a
teacher.
He
recalled
that
his
mother
had
declined
this
while
describing
herself
as
an
ordinary
person
who
gave
birth
to
him
while
God
brought
him
up.

PM
Modi’s
blog
on
his
mother
Heeraben
Modi:

“Today,
I
feel
extremely
happy
and
fortunate
to
share
that
my
mother
Smt.
Heeraba
Modi
is
entering
her
hundredth
year.
This
is
going
to
be
her
birth
centenary
year.”
wrote
PM
Modi
on
June
18
this
year.

A
symbol
of
resilience

Recalling
hardships
his
mother
faced
during
her
childhood,
PM
Modi
said,
“My
Mother
is
as
simple
as
she
is
extraordinary.
Just
like
all
mothers.”
At
a
tender
age,
PM
Modi’s
mother
lost
her
mother.
He
said,
“She
does
not
even
remember
my
grandmother’s
face
or
the
comfort
of
her
lap.
She
spent
her
entire
childhood
without
her
mother.”

He
recalled
the
tiny
house
in
Vadnagar
with
mud
walls
and
clay
tiles
for
a
roof
where
he
stayed
with
his
parents
and
siblings.
He
mentioned
innumerable
everyday
adversities
that
his
mother
encountered
and
successfully
overcame.

PM
Modi’s
mother
Heeraben
Modi
passes
away:
PM
posts
heartfelt
message
as
condolences
pour
in

He
mentioned
how
his
mother
not
only
did
all
household
chores
by
herself
but
also
worked
to
supplement
the
meagre
household
income.
She
used
to
wash
utensils
at
a
few
houses
and
take
out
time
to
spin
the
charkha
to
help
meet
the
household
expenses.

PM
Modi
reminisced
“During
the
rains,
our
roof
would
leak,
and
the
house
would
flood.
Mother
would
place
buckets
and
utensils
below
the
leaks
to
collect
the
rainwater.
Even
in
this
adverse
situation,
Mother
would
be
a
symbol
of
resilience”.

Deep
respect
for
those
engaged
in
cleanliness.

Finding
happiness
in
others’ joys:

PM
Modi
mentioned
that
his
mother
would
find
happiness
in
other
people’s
joys
and
was
extremely
large
hearted.
He
recalled
“A
close
friend
of
my
father
used
to
stay
in
a
nearby
village.
After
his
untimely
death,
my
father
brought
his
friend’s
son,
Abbas,
to
our
home.
He
stayed
with
us
and
completed
his
studies.
Mother
was
as
affectionate
and
caring
towards
Abbas
just
like
she
did
for
all
of
us
siblings.
Every
year
on
Eid,
she
used
to
prepare
his
favourite
dishes.
On
festivals,
it
was
commonplace
for
neighbourhood
kids
to
come
to
our
house
and
enjoy
Mother’s
special
preparations.”

PM
Modi’s
mother
has
publicly
accompanied
him
on
only
two
occasions

In
the
blog
post,
PM
Modi
highlighted
the
only
two
instances
when
his
mother
accompanied
him
publicly.
Once,
it
was
at
a
public
function
in
Ahmedabad
when
she
applied
tilak
on
his
forehead
after
he
had
returned
from
Srinagar
where
he
had
hoisted
the
national
flag
at
Lal
Chowk
completing
the
Ekta
Yatra.
The
second
instance
was
when
PM
Modi
first
took
oath
as
Gujarat’s
Chief
Minister
in
2001.

A
life
lesson
PM
Modi’s
mother
taught
him:

PM
Modi
wrote
that
his
mother
made
him
realise
that
it
was
possible
to
be
learned
without
being
formally
educated.
He
shared
an
incident
when
he
wanted
to
publicly
honour
all
his
teachers,
including
his
biggest
teacher
–
his
mother.
However,
his
mother
declined
saying,
“See,
I
am
an
ordinary
person.
I
may
have
given
birth
to
you,
but
you
have
been
taught
and
brought
up
by
the
Almighty.”

PM
Modi
further
added
that
though
his
mother
did
not
come
to
the
event,
she
made
sure
that
he
called
someone
from
Jethabhai
Joshi
Ji’s
family
–
his
local
teacher,
who
taught
him
alphabets.
“Her
thought
process
and
farsighted
thinking
have
always
surprised
me,”
he
said
in
the

blogpost.