India is a country where family comes first and arranged marriages are the norm. But in the political and spiritual realms, many of the top leaders have chosen to remain single, as a sign of their dedication and sacrifice for the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of them, and he will be welcomed by President Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, at the White House on Thursday for a state dinner. Mr. Modi is not alone in his celibacy.

Many of his rivals and allies are also unmarried, such as Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress party; Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and a vocal critic of Mr. Modi; Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha; Yogi Adityanath, the Hindu monk who governs Uttar Pradesh and is seen as a potential successor to Mr. Modi; and Mayawati, the leader of one of the largest parties for lower-caste Indians.

Why do these politicians shun family ties? One reason is that they need a lot of time to attend to 1.4 billion people, and they compete with each other in their claims of sleep deprivation. (Mr. Modi sleeps only four hours a night, while Ms. Banerjee sleeps even less, just three hours.) Another reason is that they want to project an image of integrity and selflessness, in contrast to the widespread corruption and nepotism that plague Indian politics. Many voters believe that single politicians are less likely to steal or favor their relatives, and that they belong to the people.

This may seem paradoxical in a country where dynastic families still dominate politics: Nearly a third of new members of Parliament have had a relative in elective office or a prominent party position, according to one study. But in a country tired of official graft, with lawmakers enriching themselves and their families and ensuring political futures for their children, many voters have come to appreciate the single life. In India, being single is not seen as selfish, but as noble and divine. “A single person is not considered selfish, but someone who has made a sacrifice and is looked up to like a god or goddess,” said Ajoy Bose, a journalist and author.

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