last year modi hogged the headlines with his hugs of global leaders is it time to bring some of the bilateral bromancing home whatever your impression of narendra modi before he became prime minister it probably wasnt cuddlebunnyinchief but over the last year modis meetings with global leaders have revealed a new side to him watch him greeting barack obama in new delhi breaking protocol for a bearhug and lingering handclasp and thats not the only one he has embraced japans shinzo abe and australias tony abbott with equal enthusiasm his meeting with crown prince of abu dhabi also featured a close hug but with some noticeable tension in it most recently during his surprise visit to lahore modi and nawaz sharif exchanged a warm and unstinting hug he playfully tweaks the ears of small children he does drum solos over the months the pms body language has been entirely different from the stiff formality of his predecessors and peers one thing is obvious when modi is relaxed and happy he doesnt shy away from pda public display of affection maybe he has a surfeit of oxytocin after all the cuddle chemical that drives social attachment cooperation romantic and maternal bonding and trust oxytocin secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland is released with loving contact it reduces anxiety and spreads a sense of contentment for a man who lacks a family or pets this nurturing instinct needs to find some expression and while his bonhomie with world leaders is bound to advance indias diplomatic interests wouldnt it be great if he could direct it towards his colleagues in india many in the opposition distrust him see him as cold and forbidding perhaps he could learn to extend his warmth and friendliness to opposition leaders or even party colleagues there are instances where he has hugged rajnath singh baba ramdev mufti mohammad sayeed but in this polarised distrustful political environment everyone could use a surge of oxytocin or wait hold on a second while oxytocin has a popular reputation of being a bonding agent new research shows that it also makes people prefer their own groups over other groups psychologists at the university of amsterdam found that oxytocininfluenced dutch men were likely to sacrifice germans or arabs rather than other dutch men that this hug chemical can in fact fuel ethnocentrism and prejudice but a new year should prompt new beginnings and the hope that goodwill and affection can win over petty divisions one hopes that modi and other political leaders find a way to harness their happiest hormones this new yearwant to increase your cuddle quotient studies show that cuddling other humans pets or even a teddy bear releases the cuddle chemical oxytocin this chemical increases ones feeling of wellbeing selfconfi dence improves social skills and reduces stress it creates mutual trust and helps you bond better says dr shantanu nagarkatti a mumbaibased surgeon with a keen interest in mindbody medicine nagarkatti adds