Back Where the Journey Began: Modi Returns to SRCC After 13 Years

New Delhi, September 05, 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return to Shri Ram College of Commerce on Saturday carries a significance that goes beyond the institution’s centenary celebrations. The Delhi University campus was the setting for one of his most closely watched speeches in 2013, delivered at a time when his national political role was still taking shape. More than a decade later, Modi is returning to the same venue after completing 12 years as Prime Minister and leading the BJP through three consecutive Lok Sabha victories. The contrast between his two visits reflects the length of his political journey. In February 2013, Modi arrived at SRCC as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, serving his fourth term and completing his 12th year in office. The BJP had not yet formally projected him as its candidate for the country’s top post. Today, after victories in 2014, 2019 and 2024, he is serving his third consecutive term as Prime Minister. Next month, his combined tenure as Chief Minister and Prime Minister will reach 25 years. Despite being centred around ‘Emerging Business Models in the Global Scenario’, Modi’s 2013 address was not confined to economic issues. A major part of his message focused on young Indians and their role in the country's future. He said, "I am concerned that a section of our society, and especially people in the political world, see the country's youth as merely 'new-age voters'. I want my country to accept that our youth are 'new-Age power'." He also underlined India's demographic advantage, referring to its large young population and the need to effectively use this potential. Several moments from that speech remained memorable, including Modi’s explanation of how he viewed opportunities and challenges. Holding up a glass, he rejected the conventional debate over whether it was half full or half empty and said, "I am someone who sees a path different from both of those paths. I have a third way of thinking, that this glass is full, half with water and half with air." He also shared an experience from his earlier visit to Taiwan, where questions about stereotypes surrounding India had been raised. The speech eventually delivered a broader message about the country’s future: "The 21st century can be India's century." That message has now gained fresh relevance as Modi returns to SRCC after 13 years. With youth issues increasingly occupying political attention and the Prime Minister using platforms such as Instagram to connect with younger audiences, the centenary visit links his present outreach with ideas he had highlighted at the same college in 2013. Earlier this year, Modi also met SRCC’s governing body and released a commemorative postage stamp for the institution's 100 years. His return, therefore, brings a long political journey back to a campus where one of his early national visions was prominently articulated.