The success of the 'Howdy Modi' event does not come as a surprise. PM Modi has long established he's a people's prime minister who likes to engage with citizens in different ways. Whether it is social media, a radio show like 'Mann Ki Baat' or election rallies, he excels at them all. He has also not forgotten the Indian diaspora, connecting with them wherever he goes. Here are some of his mega rallies outside India which were a runaway success.
Howdy Modi, Houston (22 September 2019)
Opera House, Dubai (Feb 11, 2018) Prime minister Modi addressed the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House where he also laid the foundation for the first Hindu temple. Addressing the gathering, he said that it was after many years that the relationship between India and the countries of the Gulf region were so strong.
Wembley stadium, London (November 13, 2015) Over 60,000 British-Indians packed into London's Wembley Stadium welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He called it a "historic day", and attempted to counter accusations of neglecting minorities by paying tribute to Sikhs who had "spilled blood to protect Mother India".
Silicon Valley, California (September 28, 2015) Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with 18,000 Indian-Americans at the sports arena in San Jose, California, amid protests over his human rights record. He was winding up a hectic two-day U.S. West Coast trip. The event was followed by meetings with some of the world's biggest technology companies, in hope to bring more investment and jobs into India. Modi was the first Indian leader to visit the West Coast in more than 30 years after Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1949.
Allphones Arena, Sydney (November 17, 2014) As the first Indian prime minister to visit Australia in 28 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed more than 20,000 people at the Allphones Arena in Sydney in a 90 minute long speech. More than 200 Modi fans left Melbourne on a special chartered train called the "Modi express" to listen to his speech at Allphones Arena.In a four-day visit, Modi met several leaders of the world's major economies, addressed a packed stadium and visited three Australian cities in a day. The event was organised by the Indian-Australian Community Foundation (IACF), a coalition of diverse Indian-Australian organisations. Within three days of opening registration, more than 250 community organisations registered for the Sydney event.
Madison Square Garden, New York (September 28, 2014) In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed thousands of Indian-American supporters at the iconic Madison Square Garden who had gathered to listen to his eagerly-awaited speech. Over 18,000 people had won free tickets via a lottery, after more than 30,000 applied to attend. Accompanying the crowd was a contingent of American lawmakers along with the Indian-American Republican governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley.