'Best ones were never the loudest': Bear Grylls calls PM Modi among world's 'most powerful leaders'

British adventurer and television personality Bear Grylls has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post, calling him one of the "most powerful leaders in the world" while reflecting on the global leaders he has met over the years.

On Tuesday, the Man vs Wild host shared photographs with PM Modi, former US President Barack Obama and Britain's Prince William on X, alongside a message on leadership.

"I've met some of the most powerful leaders in the world. The best ones were never the loudest," he wrote on X.

The post quickly drew attention online, with many recalling Grylls' much-talked-about wilderness adventure with PM Modi in 2019.

 

 

PM Modi's adventure with Bear Grylls

In 2019, Prime Minister Modi joined Grylls for a special episode of Man vs Wild, filmed in Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. The episode, which aired in 2020, marked the first time an Indian Prime Minister appeared on the globally popular survival show.

Ahead of the broadcast, PM Modi explained why he agreed to be part of the programme.

"For years, I have lived among nature, in the mountains and the forests. These years have a lasting impact on my life. So when I was asked about a special programme focussing on life beyond politics and that too in the midst of nature I was both intrigued and inclined to take part in it," he had said.

The episode featured Modi travelling through the national park with Grylls, navigating forest trails and crossing a river on a makeshift raft. While it was a tamer version of a typical Man vs Wild episode, the Prime Minister used the platform to speak about environmental conservation and India's philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" ("The whole world is one family"), urging people to protect nature for future generations rather than exploit it.

Who is Bear Grylls?

Bear Grylls, whose full name is Edward Michael Grylls, is a British adventurer, television presenter, author and former soldier in the UK's Special Air Service (SAS). He rose to global fame through the survival series Man vs Wild, which premiered in 2006 and ran for seven seasons, becoming one of Discovery Channel's biggest international hits.

Known for demonstrating survival techniques in some of the world's harshest environments, Grylls has since hosted several adventure programmes, including Running Wild with Bear Grylls, where he has taken world leaders, Hollywood stars and athletes into the wilderness. His guests have included Barack Obama, Roger Federer, Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet. Before his television career, Grylls served in the British Special Forces and became one of the youngest people to climb Mount Everest after recovering from a serious parachuting accident.