PM Modi's journey from tea shop to 7, RCR extraordinary: John Kerry

GANDHINAGAR: Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US Secretary of State John Kerry today said it has been an extraordinary journey of "a young man who sold tea right by the rail road here in Gujarat to the PM's residence on the Race Course Road (in New Delhi)".

He made the remark while talking about changing political and economic situation in India.

Speaking at the first day of the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summit, inaugurated this morning by Modi, Kerry said that the Indian Prime Minister's journey seemed improbable.

"... so we join with you celebrating extraordinary new chapter of India that is being written today" he said.

Modi's humble background as a tea-seller was discussed quite a lot in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections last year.