For many Indians,
Narendra Modi is the man of the moment, a probable prime minister.
Others see him as a Hindu zealot. His critics have accused Modi of not
doing enough to stop the massacre of Muslims during the 2002 Gujarat
riots, or even quietly encouraging the violence: allegations that Modi
has strenuously denied.
However, everyone admires Modi for his perfect style statement - neatly trimmed beard and hair and clothes that are stylishly cut even if they look traditional. Here, we bring you a handful of rare and unseen photographs of Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi was temperamental and is said to have run away from home to the Himalayas. After some years wandering through the Himalayas on a journey of spiritual discovery, Modi rose through the ranks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist organisation that is the ideological parent of the BJP
A stocky, bespectacled man with a trimmed white beard, Modi is known for his ascetic lifestyle and enthusiasm for yoga
Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi (L) is seen with Indian television personality Mona Thiba as they attend a kite-flying event for Makar Sakranti (Uttarayan) in Ahmedabad on January 14, 2010.
World chess champion Vishwanathan Anand, left, and Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi gesture as participants play chess during an attempt to create a world record for the participation of maximum number of people in a chess tournament, in Ahmadabad, India, Friday, Dec. 24, 2010. The 'Swarnim Chess Mahotsav'' was organized by the state government as part of Gujarat state's golden jubilee celebrations.
Gujarat State Minister Narendra Modi talks behind the mortal remains of Pandit Shyam Kishan Varma, seen in the left picture, and Smt. Bhanumati Varma, seen in the right picture, at Geneva's St. George Scolumbarium, Friday, Aug 22, 2003. Swiss authorities handed over to Modi the ashes of an independence leader and his wife who died in exile in Switzerland after years of trying to free their country from British rule
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi flies kites at the International Kite Festival in Ahmadabad, India, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2007. Around 145 kite fliers from various countries are participating in the five day festival which began Friday
Gujarat caretaking Chief Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote on an electronic voting machine as polling for Guajarat state elections got underway in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002. Still shaken by religious violence that killed 1,000 people in this western state, Gujarat voters are deciding Thursday whether to re-elect the Hindu nationalist party accused of fomenting India's bloodiest sectarian strife in a decade
In this handout photo released by India's Gujarat State Information Bureau Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi (L) speaks with his 92 year old mother Heera Ba in Gandhinagar, some 30 kms from Ahmedabad on September 17, 2011. Controversial Indian Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi began a fast on September 17 to promote "goodwill" in what was seen as a bid to project himself as a potential candidate for premier
American astronaut Sunita Williams, left, and Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi interact during a felicitation function at Gujarat University in Ahmadabad, India, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. Williams is in India on a week-long visit.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, right, speaks at the Shahalam Relief Camp for Muslim refugees in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, April 4, 2002. Vajpayee traveled Thursday to the western state of Gujarat hoping to end India's worst Hindu-Muslim fighting in a decade. At left is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
India's President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, center, talks to Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi after meeting with victims of religious rioting in the predominantly Muslim Naroda Patiya district in Ahmadabad, India, Monday, Aug. 12, 2002. Eighty-four Muslims were burned alive in the district by Hindus on Feb.
Devotees greet Indian hugging saint Mata Amritanandamayi as she arrives for a public meeting in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, March 9, 2006. Amritanandamayi is on a three-day tour of western Indian state of Gujarat. In the back is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
However, everyone admires Modi for his perfect style statement - neatly trimmed beard and hair and clothes that are stylishly cut even if they look traditional. Here, we bring you a handful of rare and unseen photographs of Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi was temperamental and is said to have run away from home to the Himalayas. After some years wandering through the Himalayas on a journey of spiritual discovery, Modi rose through the ranks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist organisation that is the ideological parent of the BJP
A stocky, bespectacled man with a trimmed white beard, Modi is known for his ascetic lifestyle and enthusiasm for yoga
Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi (L) is seen with Indian television personality Mona Thiba as they attend a kite-flying event for Makar Sakranti (Uttarayan) in Ahmedabad on January 14, 2010.
World chess champion Vishwanathan Anand, left, and Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi gesture as participants play chess during an attempt to create a world record for the participation of maximum number of people in a chess tournament, in Ahmadabad, India, Friday, Dec. 24, 2010. The 'Swarnim Chess Mahotsav'' was organized by the state government as part of Gujarat state's golden jubilee celebrations.
Gujarat State Minister Narendra Modi talks behind the mortal remains of Pandit Shyam Kishan Varma, seen in the left picture, and Smt. Bhanumati Varma, seen in the right picture, at Geneva's St. George Scolumbarium, Friday, Aug 22, 2003. Swiss authorities handed over to Modi the ashes of an independence leader and his wife who died in exile in Switzerland after years of trying to free their country from British rule
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi flies kites at the International Kite Festival in Ahmadabad, India, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2007. Around 145 kite fliers from various countries are participating in the five day festival which began Friday
Gujarat caretaking Chief Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote on an electronic voting machine as polling for Guajarat state elections got underway in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002. Still shaken by religious violence that killed 1,000 people in this western state, Gujarat voters are deciding Thursday whether to re-elect the Hindu nationalist party accused of fomenting India's bloodiest sectarian strife in a decade
In this handout photo released by India's Gujarat State Information Bureau Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi (L) speaks with his 92 year old mother Heera Ba in Gandhinagar, some 30 kms from Ahmedabad on September 17, 2011. Controversial Indian Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi began a fast on September 17 to promote "goodwill" in what was seen as a bid to project himself as a potential candidate for premier
American astronaut Sunita Williams, left, and Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi interact during a felicitation function at Gujarat University in Ahmadabad, India, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. Williams is in India on a week-long visit.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, right, speaks at the Shahalam Relief Camp for Muslim refugees in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, April 4, 2002. Vajpayee traveled Thursday to the western state of Gujarat hoping to end India's worst Hindu-Muslim fighting in a decade. At left is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
India's President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, center, talks to Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi after meeting with victims of religious rioting in the predominantly Muslim Naroda Patiya district in Ahmadabad, India, Monday, Aug. 12, 2002. Eighty-four Muslims were burned alive in the district by Hindus on Feb.
Devotees greet Indian hugging saint Mata Amritanandamayi as she arrives for a public meeting in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, March 9, 2006. Amritanandamayi is on a three-day tour of western Indian state of Gujarat. In the back is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.