Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged young Indians to steer clear of shortcuts and instead learn from the life stories of accomplished individuals, while speaking at the launch of former President Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography in Delhi.
"I once again wish him the best for his autobiography and especially request the young generation. It's the age of reels, social media influencers take you away, but in this age of shortcuts, we must remember one thing written on railway stations: 'Shortcuts will cut you short,'" Modi said.
"If you want to take a shortcut, I tell the youth, whoever's autobiography you like, please read it," he added.
Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "...I once again wish him the best for his autobiography and especially request the young generation. It's the age of reels, social media influencers take you away, but in this age of shortcuts, we must remember one thing written on… pic.twitter.com/VdNM8Z44AP
— IANS (@ians_india) August 12, 2026
Modi congratulated Kovind on the book, titled "The Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles," calling the title apt and urging young people to engage directly with his experiences.
"I urge the younger generation to learn about Ram Nath Kovind ji's life journey in his own words and read about his writings and experiences. There is much for everyone to learn from it," he said.
VIDEO | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "I urge the younger generation to learn about Ram Nath Kovind ji's life journey in his own words and read about his writings and experiences. There is much for everyone to learn from it. I congratulate Kovind ji on his… pic.twitter.com/IyCxryPBWP
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 12, 2026
He added that while people often "take credit for their successes but blame society for the difficulties in their lives," Kovind's account reflected a more generous outlook, treating society "an equal partner" in his success.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the hardships in Kovind's early life, recounting an incident from the former president's childhood in Kanpur Dehat.
"Look at his life. He was born into a very humble family in Kanpur Dehat. Kovind ji has described in his book how, one day during summer, a fire broke out at their home. His mother, putting aside her own concerns, tried to save the household belongings... while trying to save the belongings, his mother was trapped in the fire and died," Modi said.
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VIDEO | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Look at his life. He was born into a very humble family in Kanpur Dehat. Kovind ji has described in his book how, one day during summer, a fire broke out at their home. His mother, putting aside her own concerns, tried to save… pic.twitter.com/bjqmePo3MZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 12, 2026
He added that he considered himself fortunate that his own mother had lived beyond 100 years.
Kovind, who served as India's 14th President from 2017 to 2022, chronicles his journey from a modest upbringing to the country's highest constitutional office in the newly released autobiography.
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