Mehsana, September 17 (Daily Kiran) : Dawlat Khan Pathan, a childhood friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shared nostalgic memories during a special interview on Modi’s birthday. The conversation took place in Mehsana, where Pathan, currently retired from BSNL, reflected on their early days in Vadnagar, Gujarat.
Pathan recounted living in a neighborhood with around 250 to 300 homes, where he attended school alongside Modi from grades four to seven at Prerna School. A pivotal moment in their friendship occurred in 1961 when both boys aspired to join the RSS but lacked the one rupee registration fee. Modi visited Pathan’s home to persuade his mother to lend them the money, while Pathan approached Modi’s mother, Heeraba, for the same purpose. Their determination led to both boys successfully registering.
Years later, in 2009, Modi fondly recalled their childhood during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s office, jokingly offering Pathan “half of Gujarat” upon his retirement. However, family responsibilities prevented Pathan from entering active politics with the BJP.
Their high school years were marked by a strong academic bond, with both excelling in weekly debate competitions. Pathan encouraged Modi to visit the library to read newspapers after a debate in 1965 about the late Chief Minister Balwantray Mehta. Around the same time, Dr. Vasant Parikh guided young Modi in community service, where he and other RSS boys delivered subsidized millet to drought-stricken villages.
Modi’s upbringing was marked by poverty; his mother earned a meager income by drawing water from the well and washing dishes. This challenging environment shaped his commitment to serve the nation. Inspired by Dr. Parikh and the principles of selfless dedication from the RSS, Modi chose not to marry and left home for three years to travel across India as a sadhu, living on alms.
In 1971, he returned to Gujarat, staying at the RSS office in Khadiya, Ahmedabad. He served imprisoned opposition leaders during the 1975 Emergency and gained respect for returning gold jewelry recovered during the 1977 Morbi floods to the police.
Throughout his political ascent, Modi maintained strict boundaries between public duties and family matters. In 1990, he clashed with Health Minister Ashok Bhatt over the transfer of his older brother, Somabhai. Despite significant development in his hometown of Vadnagar, Modi’s vision extends across the entire state.
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