The Sacchin Tendulkar Of Politics -Modi !!

I need not add to the adjectives that have been used to describe the speech of our Prime Minister .No words are enough .So lets get beyond that and move to what was the more substantitive part of what it did to all of us –at least to me .1. As a non resident Indian –it made me feel very very proud .When people phoned me up and told me that “your” Prime Minister rocks –it swelled my heart and chest .It is no secret that every non resident Indian is very emotional about his country .Never ,never has the National Anthem not given me goose bumps  like it did yesterday –even though Kavita Krisnamoorty sang it not too well .2. All od a sudden I realized what we as Indians had been missing for decades  –energy and optimism .Throughout Mr Modis speech ,I was imagining how Manmohan Singh would have looked like on that stage at the MSG .I could imagine a old scholar rambling with no strength in his arms and hands to wave and no timbre in his voice to make an impact .Would anyone have blown all those kisses to him ?3.The PM  outlined the vision in very very simple terms .While the rest of the world would be old by 2030 ,India would be young –we have 70 percent population below the age of 35 !! So the world is for our taking .We have huge markets that create demand .And boy I love the line when he said “Hum mouse ko bhagaate hain”!!.And of course when he said that in every state of America you will find every nationality of the world ,but you will find a Indian in every part of the world .4 .I loved the way how he accepted his background .” Mein chai peelaatein peelatein yahan tak pahunch gaya .Chotaa aadmi hun ,isleye chotti chotti cheezein ke baein meih soochtaa hun”!! So basic ,so grounded .There were many other highpoints of his speech –and he floored everyone .

One question remains –can he deliver ? He is a star .No two ways about that and if you don’t admit it –you are not seeing the obvious .But to get things in India moving requires more than a good ,brilliant speech .Amitabh Bacchan and Dilip Kumar are better speakers .And I would rate Atalji as a class apart as far as public speaking was concerned .Speeches are forgotten .At the end of the day work can be done only if it is first conceptualized  .Franklin Roosevelt wrote once

To reach a port we must set sail –
Sail,  not tie at anchor
Sail,  not drift.”

Many before Modi have have set sail .Many before him have remained tied to the harbor .Many have sailed –but drifted .Modi seems to have set sail and is not drifting !! As a Indian –I wish him good luck .He seems to be our Sacchin Tendulkar of politics .

Kulbhushan Kain