Even diamond, the toughest of substances, needs the right natural conditions, the right time, and the right mine in the right place to be born.

As PM Narendra Modi turns 75 and completes diamond jubilee, experts and observers around the world analysing his phenomenon tend to arrive at a central question: Did Modi trigger India’s new wave of nationalism or has the time thrown up a leader like him?

My book, India’s New Right, tries to address this question. While exploring Bharat’s revival of ‘swa’ or self-identity in economics, history, popular culture, narrative, gender, and other areas, the book infers that India’s Prime Minister sits right at the centre of this massive civilisational churn.

Below is an excerpt from the book.

“The time this book is about cannot be captured without mentioning the man standing at the centre of this cyclonic shift — Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. He is the protagonist looming in every page, every act of this ever-unfolding story.

Some argue that his politics and persona have set off this dramatic transformation. But it is more likely the other way around. The churn of time has thrown up Narendra Modi.........

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