Modi received his ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ like Obama

India PM Modi has been awarded the Straits Times’ Asian of the Year Award in a similar fashion as Obama when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a few days into office with nothing to show but promises and promises. Modi is also all promises and sounds and fury if you read the Indian press.

Let’s see what were his great achievements to deserve the Asian of the Year Award that put him ahead of more deserving candidates who have done exceptionally well during their terms in office. Thien Sein of Myanmar and Yudhoyono of Indonesia, two illustrious Presidents that worked tireless, but quietly without any big mouth and highly infatuated Myanmese or Indonesians to blow their trumpets. These two men have achieved a lot for their countries without claiming or saying anything.

Ok, back to Modi and I quote Ravi Velloor in the front page of ST on 6 Dec. His achievements, ‘impressive election victory for his party in this year’s national election,…energised India with is stirring calls for a development focus and “toilets before temples”.’ He would not mind if there are countries willing to offer to build him smart cities if he does not have to pay for it. And he is smart enough to grab the opportunities for such expensive freebies by quickly saying yes to the generous offer.

His other achievements, ‘call for Make in India campaign’. Ravi added a big IF, ‘if pursued to its logical conclusion with a friendlier investment climate and less rigid labour norms, could help fire up the growth engines of US$2 trillion. This is impressive, just a call that, subject to so many what ifs, could lead to US$2 trillion!

And ‘Economists project that as early as next year, India could pick up the growth baton from China…a resurgent India will be a boon for the region and the world.’ I am still trying to figure out what have all these got to do with his achievements when it is the promise of a future created by a changing world economy. I can only see the similarity of Obama and the hope for peace that lies ahead of him.

I think the strongest factor to his credit is that Singapore leaders have seen the potential in him. This must be his greatest asset and achievement to warrant the Award, his potential and noticed by Singapore’s wise leaders. I think he must be the one and only leader to be pointed out by Singapore leaders for potential. Singapore leaders are also exceedingly good at picking potential ping pong players from the kindergartens in China.

Oh, he has made his mark already by ‘reaching out to neighbours and receiving world leaders, including Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott and China’s President Xi Jinping. In January he will be seeing Obama! Fantastic achievements for a great leader with great potential!

I think they may give him an Award for Asian of the Century if he had met Lee Kuan Yew and our President Tony Tan.

Straits Times editor Warren Fernandez had this to say, ‘the award to Mr Modi is as much a recognition of his record as an administrator who has propelled his home state, Gujarat, to global attention, as for the promise of reenergising larger India.’

If making a state to get global attention is the reason for the Award, I think the Sultan of Johore is more deserving for making Johore well known with his huge Iskandar Economic Zone that would dwarf anything in Gujarat.

The Award is more like an Award for potential a la Obama. Modi has a few more years to see through his potential and in this he is one up on Obama who had failed to live up to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee’s faith in him to bring peace to the world. Modi could do well to see the US$2 trillion becoming a reality to do justice to this Award. For the moment his best achievements are meeting state leaders and impressing Singapore leaders with his potential. I think Tony Tan did far better than him by being a house guest at Buckingham Palace and dining and chit chatting with the Queen of Great Britain. Really great stuff.

Kopi Level - Yellow