'Nation Is Everything, Serving People Akin To Serving God': PM Modi On What RSS Taught Him

Last Updated:March 16, 2025, 18:28 IST

AI researcher Lex Fridman asked PM Narendra Modi about Hindu nationalism and RSS. In turn, the PM shared his knowledge of the organisation’s activities and the impact it has had on his political ideas

In his podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman, PM Narendra Modi spoke about the RSS and how it has shaped him into the political leader that he is today. (Image: @Lex Fridman/YouTube)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, said through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or the RSS, he found a life of purpose. He said its service-driven philosophy coupled with the teachings of Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Vivekananda have played a crucial role in shaping him.

“I feel blessed to gain life’s values from such a sacred organization. Through the RSS, I found a life of purpose," he said in his second podcast, where he also talked about his patriotic foundations of putting the nation above all else.

Fridman asked Modi about Hindu nationalism and the RSS, the voluntary organisation he joined at the age of eight. In turn, the Prime Minister shared his knowledge of the organisation’s activities and the impact it has had on his political ideas.

“…I was fortunate to spend some time among the saints, which gave me a strong spiritual foundation. I found discipline and a life of purpose. And through the guidance of saints, I gained spiritual grounding. Swami Atmasthananda and others like him have held my hand throughout my journey, constantly guiding me at every step. The teachings of Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Vivekananda, and the service-driven philosophy of the RSS have played a crucial role in shaping me," he told Fridman during the interview.

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