Faces of India 358 – CM Yogi Adityanath

21/01/2024 Indrani Ghose

Faces of India,

Faces of India is a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. I bring back souvenirs, frozen moments from my travels, why not some memories of people I have met and interacted during the travels. Faces of India is a weekly series in my blog since MARCH 2011. See more here…

Yogi Adityanath ji – Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Bharat

Throughout my travels with various state tourism boards, I’ve had the privilege of meeting several state chief ministers. I have met Ashok Gehlot, who was Chief Minister of Rajasthan during my Rajasthan cuisine trail.

I also got the opportunity to meet Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister of Karnataka. I’ve captured their images from a distance. I have featured Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, in my Faces of India series here – Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.

Strangely, the desire to take a selfie with them never struck me. However, when it came to Yogi Adityanath ji, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, it was a different story. My admiration for him goes beyond his political affiliations; he’s a monk who has devoted his life to serving the nation. I’ve always held in high regard his robust administrative skills and the relentless effort he has put into steering Uttar Pradesh towards progress.

Yet, capturing a selfie with such a distinguished figure proved to be quite a challenge for me. After the Ayodhya Conclave, a group of travel influencers, including myself, gathered to take a group photo with him. Seizing the opportunity, I edged closer to him, but, somehow, I struggled to summon the courage to lift my phone and take the selfie. The picture didn’t turn out great nevertheless it is precious for me.