Prime Minister Narendra Modi peppered his address with Gen Z-friendly phrases such as “OG” and references to the popular film ‘Dhurandhar’ as he returned to Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday, 13 years after his last speech there gained widespread traction.
While “OG” (original gangster) is slang for someone who is exceptionally authentic or old-school, “Dhurandhar” means a stalwart. “Flex” means to show off, boast or proudly display something such as wealth, status, skills or achievements.
“SRCC's alumni have been very special... they took the glory of the college to the global level. If I put it in your language, the alumni here are the OGs,” Modi said in his address at the college's centenary celebrations.
While praising the alumni, Modi further said, “Dhurandhar na ho lekin dhoom machai hei (They may not be the stalwarts, but they have made a splash)”.
Tracing the college's evolution from a modest establishment in Daryaganj to a major educational institution, the prime minister said it had shaped generations and acknowledged the pride associated with its name today.
“Even today in DU, saying you are from SRCC is a flex in itself,” he said.
In his speech, Modi attacked his political opponents amid a controversey over the latest economic growth figures, saying those responsible for pushing the country into the "Fragile Five" were finding the 7.8% quarterly growth difficult to digest.
Modi's choice of words at SRCC comes amid a push by the BJP and its leaders to connect with younger audiences following recent Gen Z-led protests at Jantar Mantar.
BJP MPs have recently used terms such as “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) and “delulu” (delusional) in Parliament, while Modi himself has increasingly used Instagram-style videos for youth-oriented messaging.
Modi visited SRCC in 2013 as Gujarat chief minister, and his address to students gained traction, particularly in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, when he was the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
Modi said his 2013 speech at SRCC had “become a wave” and that, even 13-14 years later, the impact of that address remained intact.
“India in 2013 was dealing with a series of challenges, including terror attacks, inflation and corruption. Growth was at its lowest and inflation was at the peak,” he said, adding that scams and corruption were rampant.
He also recalled how India was described internationally at the time, saying the country was being called a “fragile Five”, while contrasting its position in 2013 with its standing today.
“In 2013, when I came to SRCC, I presented a vision. Whatever I said back then was my conviction. I have always lived by those words. Dedicating my life to the nation was an emotion that took the form of words. I gave the example of a glass filled with water. Some people see the glass as half full. Some say it is half empty.
“I said there are people who can see the glass as fully filled, half with water and half with air. It was a time when the country was lacking hope. So I said, 'I see the glass as fully filled',” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)