Narendra Modi Personal Life Stories | Untold Facts & Habits

At 76, Narendra Modi’s public schedule often looks like something designed for a much younger man.

Four days ago, at the BRICS Summit, his pace was once again on display. Within roughly 48 hours, he held 15 bilateral meetings with world leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, chaired three major summits, hosted a gala dinner, planted trees, visited exhibitions and appeared at several other events.

And through it all, he appeared remarkably energetic.

So what keeps India’s Prime Minister going at an age when most people have long since slowed down?

The answer, according to accounts from people who have worked with him, interviews given by Modi himself and biographies written about him, lies in a routine built around early mornings, yoga, simple food, strict scheduling and very little sleep.

But the story begins long before he became Prime Minister.

Narendra Modi has reportedly been an early riser since childhood.

In an interview with journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Modi described a routine that starts remarkably early. He said he generally sleeps for only three-and-a-half to four hours and wakes between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. If he is late, he said, it is usually no later than 5 a.m.

Once awake, the day begins with movement.

At his official residence, Modi has a specially constructed walking track. In 2018, while challenging cricketer Virat Kohli to a fitness challenge, Modi shared a video of the track. Its design was inspired by the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and sky.

Walking is accompanied by yoga and meditation. Surya Namaskar is particularly associated with his morning routine.

There is another unusual part of his mornings too.

At his residence, Modi is often seen feeding the animals, including a cow and peacocks.

On Independence Day, even with a packed schedule ahead of him, he shared a video of himself feeding them before leaving for the Red Fort.

PM Modi had released a video of the Panchatatva walking track built at his residence.

For Modi, the morning ritual appears to be less about finding free time and more about protecting a routine.

At his residence, Modi is often seen feeding the animals, including a cow and peacocks.

On !5 August, 2026, even with a packed schedule ahead of him, he shared a video of himself feeding them before leaving for the Red Fort.

For Modi, the morning ritual appears to be less about finding free time and more about protecting a routine.

Modi’s relationship with food becomes even more disciplined during periods of fasting.

He has spoken about observing Chaturmas, a traditional Hindu period associated with dietary restrictions and fasting.

He has also discussed his Navratri practices.

In Commonman Narendra Modi, he is quoted describing periods when he eats only once a day. During Chaitra Navratri, he has said he consumes one fruit once a day, while during Ashwin Navratri, he has described consuming only warm water.

He discussed his fasting practices again during his conversation with Lex Fridman.

And his evening routine can be just as strict.

After a 45-minute interaction with BJP MPs in February, Union Minister of State L. Murugan said that Modi does not eat anything after 6 p.m.

According to reports, by 9 am, Modi has already held an important meeting with top PMO officials. PM Modi’s schedule, tours and meetings are managed by special teams in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which include three private secretaries — Vivek Kumar, Hardik Shah and Nidhi Tiwari. The three prepare his complete schedule and ensure that it is implemented smoothly.

OSD (Appointment and Tour) Sanjay Bhavsar is directly responsible for coordinating PM Modi’s official tours, meeting timings and appointments.

Principal Secretary PK Mishra takes the final decision on incorporating administrative priorities and the agenda of Cabinet meetings into the PM’s schedule and oversees its implementation.

‘Modi ji once told me that there are three things he can never compromise on — his eyes, his voice and his clothes.’ Bipin Chauhan said this in an interview. Modi has been wearing clothes stitched by Bipin for decades.

The story began at a small tailoring shop in Ahmedabad. Two brothers, Bipin Chauhan and Jitendra Chauhan, ran a small shop called ‘Supremo Clothing’. At the time, Modi was an RSS pracharak and used to get his kurtas stitched there. Today, the Chauhan brothers are the owners of the JadeBlue brand.

Bipin is considered the creator of the ‘Modi kurta’. In 2012, Modi himself credited him for it. Many times, Modi himself chooses the fabric and colours of his clothes.

PM Modi says, “God has given me this natural understanding. I choose the colour combinations myself. When I was an RSS pracharak, I used to wash my clothes myself. Long-sleeved kurtas took more time to wash and dry, so I cut the sleeves halfway. This made the clothes easier to wash and also took up less space in my bag. It was not a designer’s idea, but something I came up with out of my own need a

PM Modi left his family, but remained deeply attached to his mother, Heeraben. When Modi left home at the age of 17 for two years, he always carried a photograph of his mother in his bag. Until Heeraben’s death in 2022, Modi would visit her every year on his birthday to seek her blessings.

Andy Marino, author of ‘Narendra Modi: A Political Biography’, writes, ‘People, and Modi himself, believe that he is a loner, someone who prefers to live alone. But I think that although he may be practical or clinical, he is not emotionally cold. There is a stillness in him that is completely different from the aggressive manner he displays at rallies.’

Marino asked Modi, ‘When you are under a lot of stress or facing a personal problem, who do you call or seek advice from?’

Modi replied calmly, ‘Such a situation has never arisen in my life. When I was an RSS pracharak, my mentor was Lakshmanrao Inamdar. Whenever I had a problem at that time, I could speak openly to him. But now my thinking process runs on an autopilot system.’

Modi considers RSS pracharak Laxmanrao Inamdar his mentor from his days in the organisation.

Other commonly asked questions about PM Modi…

Who writes his speeches: In an RTI filed with the Prime Minister’s Office in 2021, the PMO was asked who is involved in preparing PM Modi’s speeches. The response said that, depending on the nature of the event, inputs are sought from relevant individuals, officials, departments and organisations, after which Modi himself gives the final shape to his speech.

Which phone does he use: For security reasons, Modi does not use a regular smartphone. According to media reports, he uses a satellite or RAX (Restricted Area Exchange) phone for communication. The phone cannot be traced or hacked, as it operates on a military frequency band.

It is reported that the phone remains with his Principal Secretary and is handed to him only when required. Modi is often seen using an iPhone at public events, but according to reports, it is not his personal phone and is used only to take photographs. Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai has said that whenever he receives a call from PM Modi, the screen displays ‘Private Number’ rather than a phone number.

What is his routine during foreign trips: For overseas travel, Modi adjusts his ‘body clock’ according to the host country’s time zone. For instance, if he leaves India at night and it is daytime in the host country, he does not sleep during the journey but uses the time to work and attend meetings. On doctors’ advice, he drinks more water during flights. After reaching the foreign country, his routine remains almost the same as in India: waking up early, doing yoga and meditation, eating light meals and attending meetings.

Does he really never take a holiday: Modi has said several times in interviews and at rallies that he has never taken a personal holiday while serving as Chief Minister or Prime Minister. ‘Commonman Narendra Modi’ states that during his nearly 13 years as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi never took a holiday. In response to an RTI filed in 2016, the PMO also said that he had not taken a single day of leave since taking office.

******

References and further Readings