https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437231214200 Media, Culture & Society 1–17 © The Author(s) 2023 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/01634437231214200 journals.sagepub.com/home/mcs Between the divine and digital: Parsing Modi’s charismatic avatar Swapnil Rai University of Michigan, USA Abstract This article explores the production of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s saintly charismatic avatar and the mediations of this avatar that seek to bestow him with exceptional authority. It shows how Modi’s avatar is being incarnated along three intersecting axes. The first axis comprises the broader historical, cultural and religious discursive frameworks that construct Modi as an incarnate charismatic leader. It focuses on his strategic invocation of Mahatma Gandhi through political and persona branding. Next, it unveils how Modi’s charismatic avatar is shaped through embodied performances and the management of bodily optics. Finally, it analyzes the platforming of Modi’s charismatic avatar, which takes place through organized public relations machinery operating in digital realms. Together, these mediations work to advance a Moditva-oriented populist politics that promotes ideological salvation for the nation via a leader whose persona and authority are conceptualized in divine terms undermining the pluralist and inclusive tenets of the Hindu religion. Keywords avatar, branding, charisma, digital, Hinduism, Koo, Mahatma Gandhi, Moditva, Narendra Modi, populism, Twitter Modiji is like an avatar. He is a person of extraordinary talent. No one can compete with him. If he wishes, he can remain the prime minister till he is alive. See, the entire country follows his words. What can be a greater acceptance than this? He is such an extraordinary personality. God has sent him as his representative. - Gulab Devi, State Minister, Uttar Pradesh (Press Trust of India, 2022a) Corresponding author: Swapnil Rai, University of Michigan, 6369 North Quad, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Emails: swapnilr@umich.edu; swapnilrai@gmail.com 1214200MCS 0 0 10.1177/01634437231214200Media, Culture & SocietyRai research-article 2023 Main Article