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=Family of Narendra Modi=

The extended family of Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India, is notable for the remarkably humble and modest status, quite unlike the family of most influential politicians. That is in spite of the fact that Narendra Modi has served an unusually long tenure (7 October 2001 – 22 May 2014) as a Chief Minister of Gujarat, rarely matched in India's political history. It is also notable for the fact that Narendra Modi has deliberately maintained no contact with them. Narendra Modi visits his own mother only once a year on his birthday and on ceremonial occasions.

Narendra Modi left his home as a parivrajak at age 16 in 1967 and severed all contacts with his extended family, including his childhood wife. While he later gave up the garb of a monk, he never reestablished formal connections with this former family once he left to a Sangh pracharak. Narendra Modi is always invited to marriages that have taken place in the families of his brothers and sisters, however he never attends. His family has accepted his sanyasi-like detachement

Narendra Modi does not identify anyone as immediate family. He specifically stated “I cannot be dishonest. I don’t have [a] family to look after.”

One of his brothers had once approached him to get a job for daughter who had completed B.A. B.Ed. Narendra Modi not only declined to help, he bluntly told him not to make any request in future. Another brother when he got transferred to rural area approached Narendra Modi to get the transfer stopped. Narendra Modi just simply told him to follow the rules if he wants to do the government job.

Modi's family members went to pilgrimages to seek divine blessings for Narendra Modi's success. Pankaj Modi had organised a 'Vishnu Yajna' at Badrinath Dham. They had also occasionally campaigned for him.

Narendra Modi's family was notably absent from his inauguration ceremony. They were not invited. . The family explained that this demonstrates that Narendra Modi does not any favors for his personal family.

The youngest brother Pankaj Modi has occasionally served as a proxy for Narendra, although he hold no position.

First generation: Parents of Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi's family hails from the historic Vadnagar town in Gujarat. They belong to the Modh-Ghanchi community. Narendra Modi's childhood home has been sold by the family, but the neighbors still remember them.


 * Damodardas Mulchand Modi (-1989) (દામોદરદાસ મોદી), the father of Narendra Modi. He ran grain grinding business for some then and then ran a canteen at the Vadnagar Railway Station for almost 40 years, where Narendra Modi himself occasional served tea to the customers. Narendra Modi's background as a humble tea server was ridiculed by Mani Shankar Aiyar, which in turn was widely used by BJP.
 * Hira Ba (હીરાબા મોદી, હીરાબહેન મોદી)(95 ) (or Hira Ben, Ba = mother in Gujarari, Ben = Sister)), the mother of Narendra Modi. After her husband died, she used the serve as a utensil clear in the neighborhood to earn money. She used to stay alone at the original family residence at Vadnagar.  Later owing to declining health, she moved to the government provided residence of her youngest son  Pankaj Bhai Modi and lives in a tiny room. Hira Ba has received a sari as a gift from Pakistan's PM Nawaz Sharif., and has emerged as a local celebrity.

They have six childen.

Second generation: Siblings of Narendra Modi

 * Oldest brother Somabhai Damodardas Modi (સોમભાઈ મોદી) (68): Narendra Modi’s eldest brother Somabhai Damodar Das Modi was an employee with health department of Gujarat government. Now retired, he runs an old age home in Vadnagar. he is the only reliming family member now at Vadnagar.
 * Second brother Amritbhai Damodardas Modi (અમૃતભાઈ મોદી) (65) works as a lathe machine operator in Ahmedabad.
 * Narendra Modi himself is the third child.
 * Third brother: Prahladbhai Damodardas Modi (પ્રદ્લાદભાઈ મોદી)(52) is the president of Gujarat Fair Price Shop License Holder Association and the vice-president of its national chapter in Ahmedabad. He briefly had to fight the Gujarat Government to save his business, even though his brother was the chief minister.
 * Fourth Brother Pankajbhai Damodardas Modi (પંકજભાઈ મોદી)(55) is a government employee. Pankaj takes a local bus to office spending four hours everyday, as he does does not even own a scooter.
 * Sister Vasantiben (વાસંતીબહેન મોદી)(57) married to Hasmukhbhai Modi, who used to work for Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India in Visnagar.

Modi's Childhood Wife
Jashodaben Chimanlal' (જશોદાબેન મોદી)(born in 1952) is the estranged wife of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. According to the various sources Modi's parents arranged his marriage to Jashodaben Chimanlal as a child at very tender age. Their marriage took place by the time when Modi was only 18 years old and Jashodaben was only 13. At the time of her marriage to Modi, she had studied only up to Class 7.

Jashodaben is now a retired school teacher. She says that she is still a huge fan of her husband and that they split 3 years into their marriage, after which they never met each other. Jashodaben now lives with monthly government pension of Rs 14000/- (Fourteen Thousands Only) and leads a secluded life with her brother in a small town of Gujarat. Jashodaben says that they parted on good terms.

In a recent Modi biography written by Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Modi admitted that he had kept his marriage secret because he did not want it to be an obstacle in his rise in the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), which forbids key party workers from marrying and according to Modi the marriage was never consummated.

However while filing his nomination for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi accepted Jashodaben as his spouse. Jashodaben has been granted a 24 hour special security by Special Protection Group, which provides security cover for members of their immediate families of the Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi's estranged childhood wife Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi lives in Rajosana village, Gujarat. She still regards herself as his wife. She undertook pilgrimage to seek divine blessings for Narendra Modi's electoral success and to seek him a long life.

It has been reported that Anjanadri Hill has started receiving ten times more pilgrims because Jashodaben visited the site.

Criticism and Defense
Narendra Modi encountered significant criticism when he acknowledged Jasodaben as his wife. He was defended by his family members and supporters. Prahlad Modi pointed out that Lord Buddha too, after his marriage, had left his wife and child,