By Arvind Chaturvedi
As Narendra Modi returns to Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on September 5, 2026, for its centenary celebrations, memories of his first visit to the prestigious institution in 2013 come rushing back. Thirteen years ago, he arrived at SRCC as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Today, he returns as the Prime Minister of India.
I still vividly remember Wednesday, February 6, 2013. An expectant crowd of 18,000 students packed the venue, and the air echoed with a single, deafening chant: “Modi… Modi… Modi.” Amid this electric atmosphere, Gujarat’s then Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, stepped onto the stage.
After the initial formalities, Modi began his address by describing what he called Gujarat’s transformative governance model. He explained how his administration had tackled critical public issues concerning electricity, water, and roads.
But the defining moment of the speech came when he shared his unique philosophy for viewing challenges.
Picking up a glass of water, he challenged conventional thinking:
“There is a different perspective to look at things. Suppose I show you a glass of water; then those of you who are optimistic will say the glass is half full. Those who are pessimistic will say the glass is half empty. Friends, I am on a path different from those two paths. My third thought is that this glass is full—half with water, half with air.”
The speech concluded to thunderous applause, but what followed was equally revealing.
During a media interaction, Dr P.C. Jain, the then Principal of SRCC, was asked a pointed question by a journalist: “There are many other big personalities in this country, then why did you invite Narendra Modi?”
Dr Jain’s reply offered an interesting glimpse into how the invitation had come about. He told me that the college had also invited several prominent leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, apart from other prominent personalities.
The college had sent letters, emails and messages to several leaders across the political spectrum. But, according to Dr Jain, the response from Modi’s office came remarkably quickly—within just 15 minutes.
That swift response made a lasting impression. That promptness helped seal Modi’s participation at SRCC and set the stage for an address that would become one of the most talked-about events in the college’s history.
I still have the invitation letter that SRCC sent to Narendra Modi on January 15, 2013. Signed by Dr P.C. Jain, the letter invited the then Gujarat Chief Minister to deliver the prestigious Shri Ram Oration at the Speaker Session of the Business Conclave on February 6, 2013. It described SRCC as an institution that had produced thousands of students who went on to play important roles as leaders in India and the world.
The letter also carried a personal appeal. Dr Jain wrote that Modi’s experience in governance and development in Gujarat, along with his “singular-minded zeal,” would add substance to the discussion and help lead the youth towards “imagining and building the India of tomorrow.”
Thirteen years later, the setting has changed and so has Modi’s position. But his return to SRCC brings back memories of that February afternoon in 2013, when a packed hall of students listened to the Gujarat Chief Minister speak about governance, development and the opportunities before India’s youth.
And behind that memorable address was a simple but striking detail: an invitation that, according to Dr Jain, received a response from Modi’s office in just 15 minutes.
