VPSreepadmanabhan

As the nation observes the 100th birth anniversary of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, reflecting on the relationship that Narendra Modi shared with him, characterized by mutual respect and affection for each other. Modi received personal guidance from Shekhawat since he was the Sangathan mantri of BJP in Gujarat. During the Ekta Yatra in 1991, he had the privilege of spending time with Shekhawat, which aided him in planning and executing the yatra. In Gujarat, Modi tackled the water scarcity crisis through the Sardar Sarovar project and an extensive Narmada canal network. The Narmada main canal stretches 458 km up to the Rajasthan border. Modi ensured that it continues for another 74 km into Rajasthan, reaching Barmer. At this point, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the then Vice President of India, reached out to Modi enquiring convenient time to meet. Modi instantly replied to meet him anytime soon. Despite protocol, the Vice president went to meet Modi to appreciate for the noble gesture by Gujarat government of providing water to Rajasthan. The Vice president himself tied a Safa (Rajasthani turban) to CM Modi as a token of his affection and appreciation. Of many anecdotes between them, one was shared by PM Modi himself – “I remember an incident when I was traveling with Bhairon Singh ji for some party work. We were at the airport. Coincidentally, former PM Chandrashekhar ji reached there, and he spotted Bhairon Singh ji. Upon seeing Chandrashekhar ji approaching, Bhairon Singh ji promptly ushered me to the other side and discreetly placed some packets of pan supari (chewing tobacco) in my pocket. I was initially puzzled by this. When Chandrashekhar ji arrived, his first act was to check Bhairon Singh ji's pocket. It was then that I realized Shekhawat ji had transferred the pan supari to my pocket. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat ji had a habit of chewing pan supari, which Chandrashekhar ji strongly disliked. Fearing that Chandrashekhar ji might discard it in the dustbin, he swiftly placed it in my pocket.” Modi had authored a poetry book titled 'Aankh Aa Dhanya Chhe' and invited Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the book launch at Mumbai, in 2007. During the event, he spoke about his initial disbelief and stated, “When Narendra Modi asked me for the release of the book, I thought he was joking. I could not believe that he can write poetry too. I am sorry, Modi ji, I did not expect that you had such a soft side. Today I realize that his personality is a perfect harmony between his soft and tough natures.” Shekhawat also added, “I wish I write a book and you (Modi) launch my book,” hinting to the larger role Modi was meant for in the future. “It was in December 2007 when Narendra Modi ji had won his Assembly elections in Gujarat. Bhairon Singh ji spoke to Modi ji on phone and I heard him saying that these things can be decided later but first you accept my wishes,” recalls Abhimanyu Singh, grandson of Shekhawat. The issue at hand was that Narendra Modi wanted Bhairon Singh to attend his swearing-in ceremony while Shekhawat had recently resigned from the post of Vice president of India so he was hesitant about attending a political program. He had informed Modi that he won’t be able to attend. “We were sure that Bhairon Singh ji won’t go because he was steadfast on his convictions and decisions. The next morning, we were surprised to see arrangements were being made for his visit to Gandhinagar to attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi ji. When I asked him about the change of plan, he said, ‘Narendra Bhai called me again and I can’t say no to him,” says Abhimanyu. In 2005, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was guest at the inauguration of the Vibrant Gujarat event. Upon Bhairon Singh’s demise, PM Modi was amongst the persons who reached Jaipur to console the family and remained there until the last rites were performed. Modi named a flyover in Ahmedabad and a Gujarat state govt scheme after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Dhordo, a village in Kutch of Gujarat, has been recognized as the *Best Tourism Village* by the UN World Tourism Organization. Located adjacent to the breathtaking White Rann of Kutch, Dhordo is renowned for hosting the annual Rann Utsav during the winter season. @UNWTO honored Dhordo for its exceptional contribution to sustainable and responsible tourism. It was under the visionary leadership of the then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, that Dhordo transformed from a remote village into a thriving tourism destination. Recognizing the tremendous potential of the White Rann of Kutch, CM Modi spearheaded the creation of the multicultural Kutch Rann Utsav, marked by the establishment of a winter tent city in Dhordo. This initiative made Dhordo one of the most sought-after tourism destinations in the country. However, Modi had recognized the economic and tourism potential of the Rann of Kutch early on. Arvind Brahmbhatt, an old-time colleague of Modi from Bharuch, Gujarat, recalls his visit to Kutch with Modi. "In 1988, during Diwali, I had gone to the Rann with Narendra Modi. We had stayed at the place of Gulbeg Hussain, who was a renowned person of that area. We used to travel across different areas of Rann in an open Jeep. He observed the potential of White Rann at that time and said this should be shown to the world." Chief Minister Modi gave his personal involvement in promoting Rann Utsav from its early stages. Kutch had faced a huge earthquake, and Modi's efforts focused on recovering the region from the disaster. His aim was to build a New Kutch. He realized that tourism is one sector that can catapult Kutch to growth. Narendra Modi started the Rann Utsav in 2005. It is a festival of crafts, art, music, dance, food, along with the natural beauty of Kutch. The first Rann Utsav was a 3-day affair during the winters, which now extends into an event of more than 100 days and is attended by thousands of people every year. Miya Hussain Gulbeg, Sarpanch of Dhordo village, highlights how CM Modi planned these events every year. "First Rann Utsav happened in Vekariya, in the Rann. He planned the next Utsav in Dhordo. Then, the next year he scaled it up. He organized Rann Safari in Dhordo. Later on it expanded to an international event." The Rann Utsav is now one of the biggest tourism destinations, not only in India but in the world, hosting thousands of tourists from different parts of the world every year. The event has transformed the economy of the region, with local cuisines and artworks being the highlights of this event. CM Modi invited superstar Amitabh Bachchan for promotion with the tagline, 'Kutch Nahi Dekha To Kuch Nahi Dekha.' Modi's vision also included creating a Tent City, which began with 200 tents initially and later expanded. Tent City in Dhordo beautifully combines culture, tradition, and the natural beauty of Kutch. The festivities feature cultural programs with traditional music and dance, and the promotion of local handicrafts and block prints, providing employment opportunities to the local people in Kutch. CM Modi went to great lengths to promote the event, and his efforts paid off as Dhordo Tent City has become one of the most favored tourist destinations globally. The Gujarat government also initiated government events in the Rann then, including the Chintan Shivir. Even after taking office as Prime Minister, Modi continued his connection to the Rann by hosting one of the DGP-IGP police conferences in this enchanting region.