Who Is Lex Fridman, Podcaster Who Hosted 3-Hour-Long Interview With PM Modi?

During the podcast, PM Modi spoke on a range of topics—from the 2002 Gujarat riots to the RSS' role in his life.

Lex Fridman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting during a podcast interview.

(Photo: Screenshot/LexFridmanPodcast)

In his second-ever podcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a three-hour-long conversation with US-based podcaster and AI (Artificial Intelligence) researcher Lex Fridman, speaking about a range of topics – from the benefits of fasting and yoga to the 2002 Gujarat riots and even the prime minister's relationship with US President Donald Trump.

The podcast has gained immense traction since its Sunday release, drawing in over a million views on YouTube.

As is well known, PM Modi has sparingly appeared in interviews ever since he came to power at the Centre in 2014. Hence, the podcast has generated a lot of curiosity about its host Lex Fridman, and how he was able to convince the prime minister for an interview of this length.

AI Researcher-Turned Podcast Host: Who Is Lex Fridman?

Fridman, 41, grew up in present-day Tajikistan (then part of the erstwhile Soviet Union) until his parents decided to emigrate to the US when he was 11 years old. According to a Business Insider report, Fridman's father Alexander was one of the "most accomplished plasma physicists" of the Soviet Union.

Fridman pursued an undergraduate degree in computer science followed by a master's and PhD in computer engineering at Philadelphia's Drexel University. His focus of study was centred around AI and machine-learning apps.

Following his formal education, Fridman took up positions as a researcher in machine learning at Google and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). However, he left the positions to pursue independent research in 2015.

In 2018, he launched the Artificial Intelligence Podcast, which he later renamed as the Lex Fridman Podcast to make it open for non-AI and tech-related discussions. The podcast became successful within a short period of time, especially after Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared as a guest for the first time in April 2019.

Over 450 episodes have been published by Fridman, with each episode featuring long-ranging and free-flowing discussions with guests.

Apart from PM Modi, other eminent people who have been guests at Fridman's podcasts include US President Trump, Elon Musk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and scholar Noam Chomsky, among others.

Fridman also has a considerably vast social media presence, with 1.4 million followers on Instagram, 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, and 4.2 followers on X.

However, he has also been in the eye of the storm over his insistence on bringing people on his podcast with controversial views, and those who wouldn't otherwise be invited to feature on primetime television.

For instance, when psychologist Jordan Peterson appeared as a guest on the Lex Fridman Podcast in 2022, he was criticised for making several controversial statements on gender identity issues. Similarly, Fridman has in the past expressed his willingness to host internet personality Andrew Tate, infamous for his sexist and derogatory views on women.

"There is an aspect to the way he talks about women… but I think him being really disrespectful towards women is not how I see what it means to be a good man. So, the conversation I wanna have with him is about masculinity, and what it means to be masculine in the 21st century."

Fridman about Tate on one of his podcasts

Talking Points From the Modi Episode

Meanwhile, there were several interesting topics discussed during Fridman's interview with Modi.

For instance, speaking about the 2002 Gujarat riots, PM Modi alleged that there was a concerted effort to spread "misinformation" that the communal riots that took place following the Godhra train-burning tragedy were the most severe in Gujarat's history.

"If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere. Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions," said PM Modi, who was the Gujarat chief minister at the time of the riots.

The prime minister also alleged that rival parties wanted allegations of misuse of power against Modi to stick but mistakenly added that the BJP's political opponents were in power during that time, when in fact the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government was at the Centre.

"At that time, our political opponents were in power, and naturally they wanted all allegations against us to stick. They wanted to see us punished. Despite their relentless efforts, the judiciary analysed the situation meticulously twice and ultimately found us completely innocent," Modi claimed.

The prime minister also spoke about how the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has influenced every facet of his life from an early age.

"In our village, there was a branch of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, where we played sports and sang patriotic songs. Something about those songs touched me deeply. They stirred something inside me, and that’s how I eventually became part of the RSS," he said.

He also said that there was no organisation like the RSS in the world and that millions of Indians are connected to it.

"More than anything, the RSS provides you with a clear direction toward what can truly be called a purpose in life. Secondly, the nation is everything, and serving the people is akin to serving God," he said.

PM Modi also spoke about his relationship with President Trump, saying that there are several similarities between the two leaders and that Trump's "America First" ideology aligns with the BJP's "Bharat First" approach.

He also shared a personal anecdote about the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston in 2019, when PM Modi and President Trump addressed a crowd of thousands together.

"I went to him to thank him, and casually said that if you don't mind, why don't we take a lap around the stadium. There are so many people here, let's walk, wave, and greet them," the prime minister said, adding that Trump agreed immediately – leaving his security detail in a fix.

"His entire security detail was thrown off guard," Modi said, adding, "But for me, that moment was touching... It showed his courage."

Meanwhile, in a surprise endorsement, President Trump shared a link to Fridman's interaction with PM Modi on his Truth Social platform.

(Photo: Screenshot/TruthSocial)