PM Modi at 75: The health secrets behind India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently became India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, completing over 4,399 consecutive days in office and crossing the record set by Jawaharlal Nehru. While his political journey often grabs headlines, his simple and disciplined lifestyle also continues to inspire many people.
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A strong focus on healthy living
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always spoken about yoga, hydration, and balanced eating consistently in public addresses. During his Independence Day address, he also highlighted the growing issue of obesity in India and encouraged people to take better care of their health.
Simple routine, no fancy trends
PM Modi reportedly begins his day as early as 4 AM.
Mornings involve walking, yoga, particularly Surya Namaskar, and meditation. It’s not a complicated structure. It doesn’t require equipment, a trainer, or a specially designed programme. What it requires is getting up and doing it, every single day, regardless of what’s on the schedule. That consistency, more than any specific exercise, seems to be the actual point.
Simple and healthy diet
He follows a largely vegetarian, sattvic diet, food that’s light, simple, and easy on digestion. Upma. Khichdi. Khakra. Kadhi. The day starts with ginger tea. Nothing about this is elaborate or expensive.
Another important habit is that he finishes his dinner early, usually before 6 PM. This is believed to help with better digestion and improved sleep.
Prime Minister has spoken openly about fasting as something he’s done for more than five decades. He’s described it as less about food and more about mental clarity, focus, and discipline; the food part is almost secondary to the internal practice. During Navratri, he observes strict fasts for nine days, sometimes limited to only hot water or a single type of fruit. During Chaturmas, he eats just one meal a day.
Reports suggest he sleeps around 3.5 hours a night. It’s worth being honest here, sleep requirements genuinely vary between people, and what works for one person’s biology may not work for another’s. What does seem transferable is the consistency of routine. Fixed schedule, early dinner, early start. The body clock responds to regularity more than it does to any single habit in isolation.
What can we learn from his lifestyle?
You don’t need to follow everything exactly, but some habits can be easily adopted:-
A short walk or some yoga in the morning, before the day takes over
Meals that are simple rather than elaborate
Not eating late, even if 6 PM isn’t realistic for everyone
Trying occasional fasting, carefully, with proper guidance
Prioritising consistency over intensity
At 75, Modi’s physical condition reflects decades of accumulated small decisions rather than any single dramatic intervention. That’s the actual lesson. It’s not about Surya Namaskar specifically, or khichdi specifically, or waking up at 4 AM specifically. It’s about building habits that compound quietly over time and then not abandoning them when life gets busy. Especially when life gets busy.
(This article is meant for informational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.)
