Addressing the 34th Convocation of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here, Modi used his 'chaiwala' background to drive home his message to the young doctors.
"We (doctors) also have to understand how we became a doctor, we had sharp brain, got good marks in entrance examination and got good coaching, that is why we became doctor... If this is what we think, then may be our thinking is incomplete..," he said.
"During examination time, you (doctors) must have woken up a chaiwala (tea seller), selling his tea under a tree, in the dead of a cold night and told him to please prepare some strong tea. He must have told you that it is cold and pleaded to allow him to sleep, but you must have persisted and told him that tomorrow you have to appear in an examination.
"Therefore, what we become in life is not just because of us alone, but because of small contributions from everyone in this society, everyone has played some role.
"This means we have become doctors not because of government, but because of society and to repay this debt is our responsibility," the Prime Minister told the students.