Never thought as a child that I will be Prime Minister, says Narendra Modi

‘I never fought any election in my class or university’

Update: 2014-09-05 18:27 GMT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Screengrab

New Delhi: Interacting live with millions of students and teachers across the nation on the occasion of Teachers' Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he never thought that he would become the country's Prime Minister in his childhood.

"I never fought any election in my class or university. So, I had never thought I will be the PM. But I had dreams of doing something, achieving something. I urge students to dream of doing something," he responded when asked by a student whether he thought that he would become the country's Prime Minister when he was a student.

He explained that his experience as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for 14 years helped him a lot after he became the Prime Minister.

"My experience of being CM helped me a lot when I became PM.Not much has changed; yes, I have to work harder and perhaps rise earlier," Prime Minister Modi said. "My responsibilities have increased and I have to be more conscious with my words," he added.

The Prime Minister also stressed that his teachers, education and values played an important part in his life.

"If I had to gain things I would not come. Everything is not about 'labh.' Work without any 'labh' and the joy is different," the Prime Minister said in reply to another student's question about what would he gain after talking to them.

Offering an insight into his working style, the Prime Minister said, "I am a task master, I do a lot of work myself and also get work done from others. If you are working for 12 hours then I am ready to work for 13 hours."

Prime Minister Modi also stressed that a teacher should treat all students as equals and there should be no discrimination in the classroom.

"A teacher should treat each student as his own. Every student has positives and negatives. A teacher's task is to see the positives in the student and give them a direction. The teacher should be like a parent who does not differentiate between kids," he said while responding to another question.

The Prime Minister also felicitated some students on the occasion.

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