PM Modi at 75: Celebrating the visionary who redefined India’s global identity

As the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji marks another year of an extraordinary journey in public life, the live events and experiences industry joins the nation in celebrating his leadership and vision. On behalf of the Events and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), the wider experiential industry, and as Co-Founder & Managing Director of E-Factor Experiences, I extend heartfelt birthday greetings and salute the leader who has redefined India’s standing in the world.

For over twelve years, India has witnessed transformation at a scale and speed never seen before. From infrastructure to innovation, from diplomacy to domestic reforms, Prime Minister Modi has not only led the nation with clarity of vision but has also inspired confidence that India’s best years lie ahead. The global reputation India enjoys today - a country seen as strong, resilient, and future-facing, is nothing short of extraordinary. It is a far cry from where we stood 20 or 25 years ago.

The Prime Minister as the Nation’s Biggest Event Manager

I have often referred to Prime Minister Modi ji as the biggest event manager that the country has ever seen. His perspective of scale, precision, and storytelling resonates deeply with those of us who create experiences for a living.

Consider the global celebration of International Yoga Day, observed across 190+ countries - no less than a world record in cultural diplomacy. Think of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, which has become the template for economic conclaves across states. Or recall the flawless execution of the G20 Presidency, which positioned India not just as a participant but as a global agenda-setter. Each of these moments was not merely an event, they were platforms of narrative-building, nation-branding, and showcasing India’s soft power.

Enabling the Growth of an Industry

Prime Minister Modi’s tenure has been nothing short of catalytic for the live events and experiences business. His leadership has ensured:

• World-Class Infrastructure: From Bharat Mandapam to Yashobhoomi, India now boasts convention and exhibition spaces that rival the best globally. This single initiative has opened India’s doors to international conferences and summits of unprecedented scale.
• Government-Enabled Events: National celebrations, Thought Leadership lead conferences, cultural showcases at the G20, and other momentous ceremonies have all set benchmarks in creative execution, blending heritage with innovation.
• Tourism & Weddings: The Prime Minister’s call for Wed in India (backed by EEMA) has sparked conversations and action around destination weddings in India - positioning our heritage, hospitality, and culture as unparalleled backdrops for global celebrations.
• Digital & Hybrid Push: With Digital India, the events sector has leveraged technology for streaming, ticketing, and hybrid experiences, expanding reach and democratizing access.

Recognizing the Creative & Concept Economy

One of the most encouraging signs for us as industry stakeholders has been the Prime Minister’s recognition of the concert economy and the creative economy. For the first time, creativity and experiences are being acknowledged as vital contributors to the nation’s GDP and global image. Senior-level action committees and joint working groups have already been formed to work alongside the events and experiential sector to co-create growth maps and roadmaps for the future.

This policy-level recognition is bound to yield far-reaching results, ensuring that India’s creative entrepreneurs find their rightful place in the economic narrative of Viksit Bharat 2047. The inclusion of the creative economy in high-level deliberations is both a validation of the work we do and a promise that India will harness culture, innovation, and imagination as economic strengths.

Soft Power as India’s Global Calling Card

India’s rise is not only about economic might or geopolitical relevance - it is equally about soft power. Through culture, festivals, yoga, cinema, weddings, music, and live experiences, India has shown the world that its true strength lies in ideas and traditions that bind humanity.

Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, this soft power has been strategically harnessed as a tool of global branding. Today, India is seen not only as an IT hub or a manufacturing base, but as the cultural and experiential capital of the world. The events industry, as the custodian of these expressions, feels privileged to be a vehicle of this vision.

India on the Global Stage: Hosting the World

The next two years will see India host some of the most important international events across sport, trade, and culture. These include:

• World Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi : the first time this global event comes to India and South Asia.
• BRICS Leaders Summit 2026 : India will take over the presidency of BRICS 2026 and will host a series of events for the same across the country.
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 : co-hosted with Sri Lanka, promising to be one of the most watched sporting spectacles globally.

Each of these will test, strengthen, and ultimately celebrate India’s ability to deliver experiences of international standard. For our industry, they are both a challenge and a golden opportunity.

Destination India: Expanding the Landscape

The Ministry of Tourism’s recent announcement to develop 50 new destinations under a structured plan with states adds further momentum. By investing in infrastructure, connectivity, and visitor experience, India is widening its landscape of opportunity. For the events sector, these destinations are more than tourist sites - they are future stages, wedding backdrops, conference venues, and cultural hubs.

From Ladakh to Lakshadweep, from heritage cities to coastal retreats, these destinations will expand the experiential map of India and provide new canvases for creativity.

The Industry’s Salute

The live events and experiences ecosystem is today a ₹5+ lakh crore contributor to India’s economy, and it stands inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision. As curators of India’s creativity and custodians of its celebrations, we look to his leadership as both an enabler and a guide.

On this special day, therefore, we do not merely wish our Prime Minister long life and good health. We also express our gratitude. Gratitude for believing in India’s ability to dream big. Gratitude for championing a global India. And gratitude for recognizing that culture, creativity, and experiences are not side-stories, but central pillars of the Indian growth story.

From every festival we design, every summit we host, every wedding we curate every celebration we craft - the industry salutes the leader in him. We look forward to walking alongside him as India scripts its next chapter, where hard power and soft power, economic might and cultural imagination, progress and purpose, will together define the destiny of our great nation.

Happy Birthday, Dear Prime Minister Sir.