Somabhai Modi is an Indian activist, former health department inspector of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician. The 14th Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, is his younger brother.
Wiki/Biography
Somabhai Damodardas Modi was born on Thursday, 19 November 1942 (age 80 years; in 2022) in Vadnagar, Mehsana district, Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Gujarat, India). His zodiac sign is Scorpio.
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father, Damodardas Mulchand Modi, was a tea seller. He died in 1989. His mother, Heeraben Modi, died on 30 December 2022.
Damodardas Mulchand Modi’s photo. Soma Modi’s father
Heeraben Modi, mother of Soma Modi
He has four brothers and one sister. His brother Amrut Modi works as a lathe operator. His brother Narendra Modi is the 14th Prime Minister of India. His brother Prahlad Modi is a politician. His brother Pankaj Modi works as a clerk in the Gujarat government’s Information Department. His sister’s name is Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi.
Brother Soma Modi Amrut Modi
Narendra Modi’s photo
Prahlad Modi, brother of Soma Modi
Soma Modi’s brother, Pankaj Modi
Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi, sister of Soma Modi
Wife & Children
His wife’s name is Chandrika. He has two sons who are mechanical engineers.
religion
Somabhai Modi is a Hindu.
Caste
Somabhai Modi belongs to the Modh-Ghanchi caste, which was categorized as an OBC in 1994.
Career
Municipal Corporation
Because Soma was interested in studies, he did not join his father in running the tea stall. After passing the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) examination, Soma joined the health department in 1960 and served the AMC till his retirement in 2013 as an inspector.
Politics
Somabhai Modi became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1994. Before any election, the party asked him to visit different constituencies in Gujarat to prepare and submit reports on the issues faced by the people there. Soma, however, did not pursue a career in politics as it failed to interest him. Although various BJP politicians repeatedly asked him to enter politics, he always denied it. Speaking about it, in an interview, he said,
I always had the clarity that I did not want to go into politics. Mai swatantrata se kaam karate rahana chahata hoon.”
Social Activism
Somabhai Modi established a trust named Sarvoday Seva Trust on 26 March 1999 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He founded Visamo Vruddhashram, an old people’s home, in memory of his father, Damodardas Mulchand Modi, on 29 January 2001. Under the aegis of Sarvoday Seva Trust, Soma established a physiotherapy center on 7 May 2006. He expanded his trust by establishing a clinic called Dard Nivaran Suvidha Kendra. This clinic provides treatment to those who suffer from severe back and neck pain. On 16 February 2021, Visamo Vruddhashram was renamed as Swargast Damordas Moolchand Modi Sewasharam in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the old age home. His mother, Heeraben Modi, inaugurated the statue of Damodardas Mulchand Modi. Speaking about it, in an interview, Soma said,
It was a quiet and private ceremony. My mother Hiraba inaugurated the statue. Together with the members of our old people’s house and some close people from our town, we have organized a small celebration.”
Dada Damodardas Mulchand Modi is inaugurating Soma and Heeraben
Facts/Trivia
- According to Somabhai Modi, when Narendra Modi told him that he wanted to become a politician, he doubted his decision because of the instability that might exist in Narendra’s life. Speaking about it, he said,
I was a little worried, of course. No one from our family is involved in politics. I’m afraid his life is unstable.”
- Somabhai Modi once wrote a letter to Narendra Modi during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. In his letter, he advised her to refrain from highlighting her acquaintances during public meetings as it would be inappropriate. Soma wrote the letter when Narendra Modi inquired about the well-being of an old acquaintance, who was present at the public meeting among several other participants. The letter read,
I feel it is not good. I wrote that it is inappropriate to highlight contacts during such public meetings. You sit there in the capacity of a judge. People can object to it, and they can also misinterpret your judgment – regardless of whether you may have made an unbiased decision. I wrote about a film I had seen long ago, Sohrab Modi’s Nausherwan-e-Adil, where Nausherwan punishes his son for a crime even as his wife wails.”
Soma Modi with his brother Narendra Modi during an event
- Somabhai Modi enthusiastically followed his hobby of reading and loved the works of various authors like Kanhaiyalal Munshi, Ramanlal Desai, Pannalal Patel, and Munshi Premchand.
- Somabhai Modi is the vice-president of Global Indians for Bharat Vikas (GIBV).
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
