Who would have thought that the Prime Minister of one of the most happening and popular countries in the world would be wading through some of the most exotic flora and fauna, the wild that sends down a chill in the spine, and also take a ride in a makeshift boat on a cold river? But it did happen as the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, teamed up with world-famous survivalist Bear Grylls.
He did this all for the cause of the conservation of nature and share the message of protecting our invaluable natural world. And his mentor here was none other than a certain Edward Michael Grylls, Order of the British Empire (OBE), better known as Bear Grylls.
This is a very special feature for the Discovery channel’s “Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls and Prime Minister Modi” as the Indian PM braved the rain and the cold in the world-famous jungles of Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand. No wonder that Grylls described him as a “great sport”.
Grylls, who has had celebrity guests before on his show, including former American President Barack Obama, asked Modi about his childhood, dreams as the prime minister, whether he feared anything in life and if he felt nervous before a political rally. And like the man he is, Modi said nervousness was not a part of his experience.
“My problem is that I have never experienced such fears. I’m unable to explain it to people what nervousness is and how to deal with it because my in-built temperament is very positive. I see positivity in everything. And because of that reason, I am never disappointed.” Modi said his focus has always been the development of the nation.
“I was the chief minister of a state first. I worked as a chief minister for 13 years, which was a new journey for me. Then my country decided I needed to do this job. So I have been doing this for the last five years.
“But the focus has been always been on one thing and that is development. And I am satisfied with that job. Today, if I consider this time as a vacation, then I must say I am taking a vacation for the first time in 18 years,” said Modi.
Grylls asked Modi whether he ever pinched himself on being the country’s prime minister, to which he replied, “It never occurs to me who I am. I am above all this. When I was a chief minister and even now as the prime minister, I only think of my work, my responsibilities. My position never goes to my head.”
Here are a few words about Bear Grylls. Bear Grylls is a former British Special Air Service (SAS) serviceman and survival instructor who is most widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild.