Page 12 - NIS English 01-15 February, 2025

Podcast

ON LEARNING FROM FAILURES…

PM Modi said that on the day of Chandrayaan-2 launch, many people told
me that I should not go. I asked why? So he said, “Sir, this is uncertain, every
country in the world fails, Success is achieved only after trying it four-six
times.” I went and in the last second we fell apart. All the people sitting
outside were worried. No one had the courage to tell the Prime Minister, but
as much as I understand technology, I felt that something was wrong. Finally,
a senior officer came and told me. I said, “Don’t worry, I greeted everyone.”
I went to the guest house from there. But, I could not sleep. After about half
an hour, I called everyone. I said, “If these people are not tired, then I want to
meet them at 7:00 in the morning before leaving.” Because the launch not
being successful was a big shock for the country. I went in the morning and
told all the scientists that if there is any failure, then the responsibility is mine,
you tried, don’t be disappointed.” Whatever confidence they had, I aroused it.
You can see, Chandrayaan 3 was successful.

MENTION OF THE BIGGEST MOMENT… in Srinagar Lal Chowk. The tricolor was burnt in Lal

Mentioning the happiest moment in his life, PM Modi Chowk. After hoisting the tricolor flag, we came to
said that when I had gone to hoist the tricolor flag Jammu, my first call from Jammu was to my mother,
in Srinagar's Lal Chowk and our yatra was attacked it was a happy moment for me and the other thought
near Phagwara in Punjab, bullets were fired, five or in my mind was that mother must be worried that
six people were killed, many people were injured, so these bullets have been fired and where has he gone,
there was tension in the whole country about what so I remember I made the first call to my mother, I
would happen. It was very difficult to hoist the tricolor understand the significance of that call today.

people have a different identity their jokes are very Then our operator sent a letter saying that Sir, you are
popular. I said that an Ahmedabadi was going on leading with a two-thirds majority. So I do not believe
a scooter and collided with the person in front, then that nothing would have happened inside me, but I had
the person in front got angry, and a fight started. He some thoughts that could overpower it, so it became
started abusing, this Ahmedabadi kept standing with different for me. Similarly, once there were bomb
his scooter, he kept abusing, meanwhile, someone blasts at five places in my area, you can imagine what
came and said, yaar bhai, what kind of a person are the situation would be like as a Chief Minister. I said
you, he is abusing and you are just standing like this. that I wanted to go to the police control room, but my
The Ahmedabadi says, he is only giving, he is not taking security people refused. Then I said that I would go to
anything. I have also made up my mind like this. the hospital. They said that Sir, bombs are exploding
there too. So you can imagine how much restlessness

ON EMOTIONALITY, MENTAL STRESS, ANXIETY, or anxiety I would have as a Chief Minister. But my
AND RESTLESSNESS… approach was that I got absorbed in my mission, so
Prime Minister Modi said that I am in such a position I experienced it differently, perhaps, I got a sense of
that I have to stay above emotions. The 2002 Gujarat responsibility in it.
elections were the biggest test of my life. I have had Referring to the Godhra incident, he said, I became
many opportunities to win elections in my life, even an MLA for the first time in my life on 24 February 2002.
when I fought and when I made others fight. I did not I went to the assembly for the first time on 27 February.
even watch TV. Not even at the time of the results. At I was an MLA for 3 days and suddenly the news of such
11-12 pm, the drum beats started being heard from a big incident in Godhra started coming, a train was set
outside the CM bungalow below my house and I told on fire, gradually the news came. It was very natural
people not to give me any information until noon. that I was restless. As soon as I came out of the House,

10 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR | February 1-15, 2025