When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently visiting Lakshadweep, the smallest Union Territory in India, he tried snorkelling. Prime Minister Modi encouraged adventure seekers to put the location high on their list of places to see, while posting images of fish and corals.
If you want to discover your inner explorer, Lakshadweep should definitely be on your itinerary. I attempted snorkeling during my visit, and it was an amazing experience,” the prime minister wrote on X on Thursday.
He went on to say that Lakshadweep’s serenity is equally captivating as its natural beauty. The prime minister continued by saying that he had time to think about how to put in even more effort for the benefit of India’s 140 crore people in this peaceful setting.
PM Modi also posted photos from his early walks on the “immaculate beaches.”
Snorkeling is the activity of swimming close to the water’s surface while wearing a mask and a snorkel for breathing. Unlike scuba divers, snorkelers do not go very deep into the water; instead, they enjoy the expansive vistas of the underwater world from above.
The world saw PM Narendra Modi’s adventurous side for the first time in 2019 when the popular “Man vs. Wild” show on Discovery channel featured adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls. Grylls said the prime minister was an example of “calm and cheerfulness” as they tested their survival skills in the wild wilderness of Uttarakhand’s Corbett National Park.
Before the show aired, Grylls posted a 45-second teaser of the special episode on X. The video went viral since it showed the public the PM’s whole other side.
The footage saw Modi, who was 68 years old at the time, driving into the park while distant views of a tiger, a herd of elephants, and deer ran over the screen. Another image showed him crossing a river in the pouring rain while carrying a homemade spear and a raft.
According to Grylls in an interview, the thing that struck him the most about Modi throughout the trip was his humility, as evidenced by the “big smile” he had on his face despite the nonstop rain.
“What shone bright for me was his humility. He was a very humble guy and even though there was pouring rain and his secret services were trying to get out umbrellas, he said ‘no I’m fine’ and then we reached a river. I made this raft out of reeds and a tarpaulin. I said I think we can get across the river using this, but the secret services were like ‘we cannot put the Prime Minister in a little homemade raft’.”
He also stated, “But he (Modi) said he was fine and we’d do this together. He asked me to get in too, but the things started sinking. So it was me swimming and pushing him, he was soaking wet but there was a big smile on his face even through the rain. You learn about people in those moments,” Grylls had said.
“In India, you are the most significant man. In the video, he was seen wearing a jacket over PM Narendra Modi’s shoulder and saying, “My job is to protect you.”
When Grylls highlights obvious risks in their area, PM Modi responded, saying, “We should not take this place as a danger zone.” Everything turns deadly when we rebel against nature, including ourselves. However, if we work along with nature, she will work with us as well.
