New Delhi, October 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he had never entered public life driven by personal ambition, asserting that the values he received during childhood taught him to live “not for ambition, but for a mission”.
Addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’ as he marked 25 years as the head of a government, Modi said he had never initially thought of contesting an election and viewed his responsibilities as an opportunity to serve the country.
“I never thought about what I would become in life or what would happen to me, because the education and values I received since childhood taught me that I have been a person who lives not for ambition, but for a mission,” he said.
Modi said he had consistently fulfilled the responsibilities entrusted to him and described selfless action for the country as the central purpose of his life. Quoting the Bhagavad Gita, he said, “Karmanyevadhikaraste” had shaped his approach towards duty.
“For me, action is not merely a responsibility; it is my devotion to the country,” he said.
Reflecting on his 25-year journey as head of government, Modi said he did not view the period as a matter of personal glorification. He recalled that 25 years ago, at the age of 50, he was working among tribal communities and had spent years in the organisational structure of the Bharatiya Janata Party without having contested an election.
He said that if he had wanted to establish himself in electoral politics, he could have entered the field earlier, but that was not his temperament.
Modi said the opportunity to serve came from the people’s trust and circumstances that taught him important lessons. He added that the 25 years should not be assessed merely by where he had reached, but by “how far my country has reached”.
Recalling his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi said he followed the principle that the development of Gujarat was linked to the development of India. He acknowledged the challenges of taking charge without prior experience in running a government or extensive knowledge of administration.
He said his faith in people and the experience gained through years of social work became his strength, and that he sought to involve people in decision-making, policy formulation and implementation.
Looking ahead, Modi called for renewed determination towards the goals of a developed India by 2047, becoming one of the world’s top three economies, achieving self-reliance, emerging as a global manufacturing hub, hosting the Olympics and advancing India’s space ambitions.
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