PM Modi turns 75, lauds rise of ‘new India’; global leaders extend wishes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 on Wednesday with a host of prominent personalities, including world leaders, lauding his leadership, while the ruling BJP organised welfare initiatives under the fortnight-long “Sewa Pakhwada” to mark the birthday of its pre-eminent leader.

PM Modi said he was overwhelmed by the countless wishes and messages of affection from across the nation and overseas and resolved to continue working with even greater energy and devotion to realise the dream of a Viksit Bharat.

Keeping with his practice of unveiling development programmes from different states on his birthday, Modi travelled to Dhar in Madhya Pradesh to launch a nationwide campaign focusing on the health and nutrition of women and children.

BJP governments in states and the party’s organisation in different places started or have lined up an array of outreach, welfare and awareness programmes covering health camps to cleanliness drives, get-togethers of intellectuals and fairs to promote indigenous products. The exercise will continue till October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Birthday wishes for Modi, who was born in a poor family in Gujarat’s Vadnagar and has led the BJP to unprecedented geographical expansion and electoral successes since 2014, poured in.

President Droupadi Murmu praised him for instilling a culture of achieving great goals in the country. “Today, the global community is also expressing its faith in your guidance,” she said. Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan said India is making a mark on the global stage and moving steadily towards the goal of a developed nation under his visionary leadership.

BJP leaders and members of other parties extended birthday wishes to Modi.

Also, several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, extended birthday greetings to Modi.

Putin praised Modi for his “great personal contribution” to strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

“Through your activities as head of government, you have earned the high respect of your compatriots and enormous authority on the world stage,” Putin said in a message published on the Kremlin website.

A day earlier, US President Donald Trump had dialled Modi and extended birthday greetings, sparking hopes of a reset in the bilateral ties.

Trump said Modi is doing a tremendous job and thanked the prime minister for his support in ending the war in Ukraine.

In a post on X, Modi said the innumerable wishes and the faith people have reposed in him are a source of great strength.