Happy Birthday PM Modi: 10 surprising facts about his life

So it's finally D-Day. Today is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, and perhaps the right time to take a look at his phenomenal journey. Google's favourite man has the power to be able to relate to the common man, yet he is extraordinary enough to inspire an entire country.

Here's what you didn't know about PM Modi:

1. Sadhu Prime Minister

While we all know of his association with Baba Ramdev, what a lot of us may not know is that he has always been fascinated by sadhus and sanyasis. As a teenager, he made a solo trip to the Himalayas and lived there with yogis for two years to learn the Hindutva philosophy.

2. Coping mechanism

Modi is not one to dwell on the past. Apparently, he would burn his belongings and other memorabilia whenever life urged him to move on.

3. Beyond the Modi suit

Back in 1970, he moved out of his Vadnagar home. When he returned in 1975, the country was in a state of Emergency and to survive, he dressed like a Sikh, replete with a turban.

4. Not just selfies

Modi is a true photographer. He had once held an exhibition to showcase his work as well. Not just that, the PM likes to write poetry in Gujarati and has published some of them too.

5. Connecting with the spirit

Every year, Modi meticulously fasts for nine days to observe a certain way of life.

6.Connecting with people

That Modi is a great orator is a known fact. It seems the PM attended a three-month course in Public Relations and Image Management in the United States.

7. Modi and Gandhi

Much like the Father of the Nation, Modi has stated that he does not need much sleep. Five hours are enough for him.

8. Not his matribhasha

The PM's Hindi is impeccable. However, he recently admitted that he did not speak the language before he started selling tea. "People who sell milk in Mumbai are basically from Uttar Pradesh" and did not speak Gujarati, so Modi learnt Hindi.

9. Life hack pro

We've all had that day when there's no time to iron clothes and so we step out of home in crushed togs. Well, Modi could not afford to pay for ironing when he was younger, but he refused to dress shabbily. How? He kept the clothes for the next day under his mattress the night before and they appeared fresh and ironed the next morning!

10. Keen observer

We wouldn't be surprised if the Prime Minister is reading this right now. Turns out, Narendra Modi logs on every morning and reads almost all that's written about him. He does this to keep a tab on how he is perceived, on the internet.

If you are reading this, Mr Modi, please do hit the share button! (Worth a shot.)

(Text written by Durga M Sengupta)