A Doodle For Modi: Re-imagining Google's Recent Tribute to MF Husain on the Prime Minister's Birthday

On 17 September 2015, Google users in India woke up to a Google “doodle”—a temporary refashioning of the Google logo—that celebrated renowned Indian painter MF Husain. For several years now, Google doodles have celebrated numerous Indian icons such as the actress Nargis, the writer RK Narayan, the cartoonist Anant Pai and the politician and social reformer BR Ambedkar. However, the choice did not find favour with everyone.

On the same day, a twitter account that describes itself as “an independent initiative by RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] Swayamsevaks” tweeted that “Google India should apologise for insulting the nation and Hindus by showing MF Hus[ai]n on his [sic] front page.” The account further noted that, “Hus[ai]n insult[e]d Hindus by allegedly portraying deities and Bharat Mata in [the] nude.” Google has not responded to these tweets.

Incidentally, 17 September is also the birth date of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who began his political career in the RSS and is now a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party to which the RSS often provides ideological direction. In the past, Liat Ben Rafael, one of the three managers of the Google Doodle programme,reportedly said that the team prefers to “commemorate people who are no longer living,” and that one of their principles is to “avoid politics.”

Intrigued by the idea of a Modi doodle, The Caravan spoke to three Delhi-based illustrators and asked them to illustrate, what they thought, would make for a befitting doodle featuring the prime minister. Published here are their designs, along with a note on the concept behind their work.

A phrase that became famous during the prime minister’s election campaign was “Achhe Din”—good days. Over the course of the past year, the Modi government has been crticised for several decisions that included the nomination of BJP members to positions of influence in educational institutes and the frequent bans that have been issued since its rise to power. The prime minister has also faced criticism for his packed travel schedule and his enthusiasm for initiatives such as the International Yoga Day, leading many to wonder what “Achhe Din” really means, and for whom. Apeksha Gupta, a designer with an interest in branding and identity, plays on this ambiguity through her doodle.

The prime minister’s promises of economic development have earned him support and loyalty from many people in the business community. Famous for his impassioned rhetoric, he has also cultivated a large fan following that comprises those who are often referred to as “Modi-bhakts”—devotees of Modi. Fascinated by this assortment, Sumit Kumar, a cartoonist best known for The Itch You Can't Scratch and “Kashmir Ki Kahani”—a web-comic produced by the news website, Newslaundry—has attempted to explore it through his illustration.

Modi’s social media prowess forms a large part of his persona, with every new initiative being granted a “hashtag” or a worthy catchphrase. However, the internet-savvy prime minister has maintained a stoic silence on several controversial issues that plague his government. Meanwhile, his followers online attack dissenters, leading one to wonder whether the apparent accessibility of the PM on social media is merely a tune designed to sway the masses.

In her doodle, Surabhi Kanga, an assistant editor at The Caravan, imagines the prime minister as the protagonist of a popular legend from the German town of Hamelin.