MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP /VIA GETTY
When Narendra Modi decreed that 200 million flags should fly across the country to mark 75 years of India’s independence from Britain, manufacturers went into overdrive. Old standards that decreed only natural fibres be used were junked but demand could still hardly keep up. Sweating in Delhi’s monsoon heat, Atul Gupta, a roadside flag seller, said: “I’ve never seen anything like it . . . a day’s stock of flags goes in a couple of hours. I can’t keep up with this frenzy.”
As India prepares to celebrate its momentous anniversary, Modi, 71, is revelling in his status as the world’s most popular leader with ratings others can only dream of. Enjoying 75 per cent approval at home, India’s strongman prime minister also flies high.
This story was originally published in thetimes.co.uk . Read the full story here