Self-discipline, hard work must for success in life: Influencer Ankit

Hard work and self-discipline are a must for success in any sphere of life, says fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuriya, with whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi teamed up for a cleanliness exercise.

Modi had on Sunday teamed up with Baiyanpuriya in a cleanliness exercise as part of his call to the public to undertake sanitation measures for an hour on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.

"Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe," Modi had posted on X on Sunday along with a video.

The video showed the prime minister and Baiyanpuriya wielding brooms and cleaning and picking up trash.

Raised by labourer parents in Sonipat, Baiyanpuriya, a graduate, is a fitness enthusiast since his childhood.

The 25-year-old has over five million followers on Instagram and a huge following on YouTube where he regularly posts his workout videos, greeting his followers often saying "Ram Ram Bhai Sareya Ne."

During his interaction with the media in the national capital after Sunday' event, Baiyanpuriya said he had a longstanding wish to meet the prime minister for a long time.

"I could not believe it when I got a phone call a few days ago about the event. Even when I was in Delhi, I could not believe that I would be meeting the Prime Minister. I told my parents about the meeting only after it happened," he said.

"The Prime Minister also asked me about my daily routine, for how many hours I workout. He spoke very nicely. He came across as a very simple person. Our Prime Minister is an icon for millions of youths like me," said Baiyanpuriya, who spent nearly 40 minutes together with Modi.

Baiyanpuriya, who has two elder sisters, had started his fitness career with wrestling in a village 'akhara' and fell into a spell of melancholia after suffering injuries during some bouts.

"During the rest and recovery period, you are shaken and negative thoughts come to your mind... I had been given the Bhagavad Gita and reading it benefitted me a lot and helped me stay mentally strong," he recalled.

Baiyanpuriya has been doing small-time jobs the past few years.

Back home in Sonipat, his mother was elated having seen her son teaming up with the PM in the cleanliness exercise.

"Every parent should be blessed with such hard working children. He has always believed in leading a simple life. Since childhood he has been taking simple food," she said.