Who is Hiren Joshi?
Hiren Joshi is a key figure in the Indian government, currently serving as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for Communications and Information Technology in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He is widely recognized as the architect behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s successful digital media and social media strategy, a role he has held since 2008.
Joshi is trending heavily in December 2025 due to serious allegations leveled against him by the opposition Congress party. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has demanded government transparency regarding Joshi’s alleged “business partners, foreign connections,” and a claimed stake in a betting application. An interesting and lesser-known fact is that Joshi is an electronics engineer with a Ph.D. and over 18 years of teaching experience before transitioning to his role as a long-term political aide. Dr. Joshi is known for working quietly behind the scenes, rarely giving interviews, yet wielding significant influence over how the government communicates with the public.
Key Information
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr. Hiren Joshi |
| Nickname | Often referred to in media as Modi’s “social media guru” |
| Profession | Senior Government Adviser, Officer on Special Duty (Communications & IT), PMO |
| Known For | Handling digital communication, social media and media strategy for Prime Minister Narendra Modi |
| Age | Reported to be in his mid 50s as of 2025 (exact birth year not officially disclosed) |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Years Active | Associated with Narendra Modi since around 2008 in Gujarat, and with PMO since 2014 |
| Hometown | Believed to have roots in Gujarat (not officially detailed) |
| Current Residence | New Delhi, India, due to PMO role (not officially stated but inferred) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Educational Qualification | Electronics engineer from an institute in Pune; PhD from Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Not publicly known |
| Children | Not publicly known |
Early Life and Education
Public sources do not provide detailed information about Dr. Hiren Joshi’s childhood, parents or schooling. What is known is that he comes from a strong technical and academic background.
He studied electronics engineering in Pune and later completed a PhD from the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management (IIITM) Gwalior, a detail highlighted in media coverage that celebrated the fact that Narendra Modi’s early Twitter and digital presence was handled by a PhD level technologist.
Before entering the political communication space, Dr. Joshi worked in academia and technology related roles. Later, he transitioned into strategic communication and media management, bringing a data driven and systems oriented mindset to political messaging and outreach.
Career Journey
Early association with Narendra Modi
Dr. Hiren Joshi’s rise is closely linked to Narendra Modi’s transformation from Gujarat Chief Minister to national leader. Around 2008, Modi picked him to handle his digital presence, including blogs, website and social media accounts.
Media reports describe him as the architect behind Modi’s early online communication strategy, including:
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Managing Modi’s blog and official website
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Overseeing Twitter and Facebook messaging
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Experimenting with new formats like multilingual tweets
An Economic Times report noted how he coordinated Modi’s Japanese language tweets before the 2014 Japan visit, underlining his role in multilingual digital outreach.
Role in 2014 National Campaign
By the time of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Dr. Joshi was widely known in political and media circles as Modi’s “social media guru”. He was part of the team that helped turn Modi’s online presence into a major political tool, amplifying slogans, speeches and key messages across platforms.
Officer on Special Duty in PMO
After Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, Dr. Joshi moved to the Prime Minister’s Office. Official government documents list him as:
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OSD (Communications and Information Technology) in the PMO, with his name appearing on the official list of officers on the PM India portal and other government records.
In this capacity, he has been associated with:
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Coordinating digital outreach for the Prime Minister’s office
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Liaising with media on communication strategy
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Advising on information technology aspects of communication
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Helping shape narrative around key government decisions
He was also named as part of the empowered group on information, communication and public awareness constituted by the Government of India during the early phase of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020.
Media narrative and influence
Multiple reports and long form articles describe Dr. Joshi as one of the most influential back room advisers in New Delhi, with a large say in how government talking points are framed and amplified, especially on television debates and social media.
He rarely appears on camera or gives interviews, which adds to his aura as a behind the scenes strategist.
Relationships and Personal Life
There is very little confirmed public information about Dr. Hiren Joshi’s personal life.
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Marital Status: Not officially stated in PMO profiles or major biographies.
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Spouse: No government or PMO document publicly introduces his spouse, and mainstream political profiles focus almost entirely on his professional role.
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Children: No verified public information.
He is widely portrayed as a low profile and disciplined figure who prefers to stay away from the limelight. Articles about him mostly emphasize work ethic and influence rather than lifestyle, diet, hobbies or routine.
Because of the absence of confirmed sources, it is not safe to make claims about his dating history, family details or daily habits.
Controversies
Hiren Joshi has been involved in several high-profile political controversies, particularly concerning the media.
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December 2025 Betting App Allegations: The current trending news centers on serious allegations made by Congress leader Pawan Khera on December 3, 2025. Khera publicly questioned what “business Hiren Joshi was carrying out sitting in the PMO” and asked if he held a stake in any betting app. Khera also demanded transparency regarding Joshi’s “business partners, foreign connections,” and overseas meetings, suggesting potential implications for India’s national interests. The PMO has not yet issued a clarification on these claims.
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Media Pressure Allegations: This is a recurring controversy. Joshi was previously accused by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in 2022 of pressuring and threatening media editors to curtail coverage of the opposition. Congress spokespersons have also made similar allegations over the years, suggesting he plays a key role in setting the government’s media narrative.
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Social Media Trend: The issue gained traction on December 3, 2025, with his name trending on the ‘X’ platform, primarily driven by the opposition’s political accounts.
Lesser Known Facts About Hiren Joshi
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He has a formal academic background as an electronics engineer and a Ph.D. holder, unlike many political strategists.
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He had 18 years of teaching experience as an assistant professor before entering full-time public service in 2008.
- He utilizes special software and analytical tools to map the Prime Minister’s itinerary and avoid scheduling conflicts.
- He is credited with making the official narendramodi.in website available in Sanskrit and multiple regional languages.
- He provides the Prime Minister with a daily report on online activities and shortlists a selection of messages from the thousands received on social media.
- He and Pratik Doshi, OSD (Research & Strategy), are often referred to as the “Joshi-Doshi duo” in political circles, playing a major role in shaping the PM’s narrative.
- He is a highly technical individual who continues to publish scholarly research papers in advanced computer science and AI, even while serving in the PMO.
- He has been part of high level government groups dealing with information dissemination during crises such as the COVID 19 pandemic.
- His work is often cited in academic and policy studies on digital politics in India as a case study in modern political communication.
Latest Updates
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Opposition attacks about his alleged business interests and foreign links.
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Reports that some of his responsibilities in the PMO may be overseen by other senior leaders, prompting speculation about his future role.
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Continued references to him in debates about media freedom, social media manipulation, and the relationship between government and big tech platforms.
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He is still officially listed as OSD (Communications and IT) on the PM India website as of late November 2025.
FAQs
Q1. What is Dr. Hiren Joshi’s age?
In a 2014 profile, he was described as 44 years old, which would place him in his mid 50s by 2025, but his exact birth year is not officially disclosed.
Q2. What is Dr. Hiren Joshi’s role in the PMO?
He serves as Officer on Special Duty for Communications and Information Technology in the Prime Minister’s Office, helping handle digital outreach and communication strategy.
Q3. Is Dr. Hiren Joshi married?
His marital status and spouse details are not clearly stated in official PMO or government profiles, so there is no confirmed public information.
Q4. What does Dr. Hiren Joshi do for a living?
He is a senior government adviser and strategist in the PMO, known for shaping the communication and digital presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government.
Q5. What is Dr. Hiren Joshi’s net worth?
There are no credible public estimates of his net worth. His known income source is his official role in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Q6. What is Dr. Hiren Joshi known for?
He is best known for being Modi’s long time digital and media strategist, often called his “social media guru” in Indian media.
Q7. Has Dr. Hiren Joshi been involved in controversies?
Yes, he has been at the center of debates on media freedom and political communication. Opposition parties and some journalists have alleged that he pressures media and questioned his business and foreign links, but there is no court ruling against him and no detailed public rebuttal from him.
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