dbo:abstract
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- Rajeshkumar Indukant Modi (born 4 February 1959) is a Zimbabwean businessman and politician. He has served as deputy minister of industry and commerce and as a member of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe for Bulawayo South since September 2018. He is a member of ZANU–PF. Originally from Gujarat, India, he graduated from South Gujarat University and briefly worked for an electricity board. In 1981, he married Parul Kothari, who was also originally from India but living in Zimbabwe since October 1975. A few months later, the newlywed couple who got married in India, went to Zimbabwe for what was supposed to be a temporary visit, but ended up staying after Parul's father died. Modi found work at a department store and eventually opened a tuck shop. In 1999, he opened his first supermarket, eventually owning as many as twelve before selling them in 2013. He currently runs a liquor wholesale business, several manufacturing facilities, and other businesses. Modi joined ZANU–PF in the early 2000s, and went on to hold leadership roles at the district, ward, and provincial level. He was seen as an ally of Emmerson Mnangagwa amid the factional infighting within the party leading up to the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état. His election to parliament in 2018 made him the only successful ZANU–PF candidate in Bulawayo, traditionally an opposition Movement for Democratic Change stronghold. After the election, he was named to President Mnangagwa's cabinet as deputy industry and commerce minister. He is the first Indian MP in Zimbabwe and the only Indian government minister in Africa outside South Africa. (en)
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