Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on Thursday, with birthday wishes pouring in from the President, Vice President, senior cabinet colleagues and public figures.
President Droupadi Murmu, extending greetings, said Modi had "established many new standards of good governance" during his 25 years as chief minister and prime minister and had given "unprecedented pace and new direction" to inclusive development.
She prayed for his good health and long life so that he could continue his mission of nation-building.
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan said India was "shining as a bright spot in the world" under Modi's leadership, noting that "over 25 crore Indians have come out of extreme poverty."
He praised Modi's initiatives branding backward districts as "Aspirational Districts", border villages as "Vibrant and First Villages", and the northeast as "Ashtalakshmi," saying these had turned geographical marginalisation into empowerment.
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Home Minister Amit Shah called Modi a symbol of "tireless hard work, sacrifice and foresight," describing his life as "a saga of penance, sacrifice and unwavering resolve." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wished Modi "all success, good health and many more years in the service of our people," adding that he continued to "inspire globally through your ideas and achievements."
Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Nitin Gadkari also posted greetings, with Gadkari praying for Modi's good health and expressing hope that India would once again attain the status of "vishwaguru" (world leader) under his leadership.
Actress and former education minister Smriti Irani hailed Modi as "the People's Prime Minister," while commerce minister Piyush Goyal shared a video titled "The Timeless Words of PM Modi."
Wishes also came from outside politics.
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Actor Janhvi Kapoor called Modi "India's visionary Prime Minister."
While actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, posting a day ahead of the birthday, described Modi as "our friend, friend of society" and wished him "great well-being, love, happiness, peace and a very healthy long life."
The greetings came from across the political and cultural spectrum.
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