Modi turns 74; Prez, VP, leaders across party lines extend wishes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 74 on Tuesday, with President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and other dignitaries and politicians extending their best wishes to him.

Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in a small town in Gujarat.

Modi spent most of his day in Odisha during which he launched the state government's flagship women-centric initiative, Subhadra Yojana, besides railway and national highway projects.

Speaking at an event in Bhubaneswar, Modi recalled how he used to visit his mother on his birthday and take her blessings. “Before coming here, I went to the home of an Adivasi family to attend their Grih Pravesh event...My sister in that family gave me khiri to eat. And when I was eating that Khiri, it was obvious for me to remember my mother.

“When my mother was alive, I always used to visit her on my birthday to seek her blessings. My mother used to feed me ‘Gud’ (jaggery) by hand. She is not there anymore but my Adivasi mother fed me kheer and gave me birthday blessings,” Modi said.

Murmu greeted Modi on his birthday and wished that his innovative efforts pave the way to make India a developed nation.

Greeting Modi, Dhankhar said the Prime Minister has firmly set the country on a trajectory towards a developed India by 2047.

BJP president J P Nadda said the Prime Minister has dedicated his life to serving the country and humanity. He is changing the lives of people and has turned his resolve into an achievement, th BJP chief said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended birthday greetings to Modi and said he has brought positive changes in the lives of the people through his tireless work, perseverance and foresight, and has raised India’s prestige in the world.

Leaders cutting across party lines wished Modi on his birthday.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge greeted the prime minister on his birthday and wished good health and long life for him.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also greeted Modi and wished for his long and healthy life.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his Deputy Pawan Kalyan, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, among others, greeted the Prime Minister on his birthday.