By PTI

Copyright telanganatoday

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 on Wednesday, with a host of dignitaries and politicians lauding his leadership and the ruling BJP launching over a fortnight long “Sewa Pakhwada” to mark the birthday of its pre-eminent leader.
The BJP-run governments at the Centre and states have lined up an array of outreach, welfare, development and awareness programmes, ranging from health camps to cleanliness drive, get togethers of intellectuals and fairs to promote indigenous products across the country till October 2.
Modi himself is travelling to Dhar in Madhya Pradesh to kick off a nationwide campaign focusing on the health and nutrition of women and children. He will launch a slew of other development programmes, including one with focus on tribal population, and address a public meeting.
President Droupadi Murmu greeted Modi, who was born in a poor family in Gujarat’s Vadnagar, and praised him for instilling a culture of setting and achieving great goals in the country. “Today, the global community is also expressing its faith in your guidance,” Murmu said in her birthday greetings to the PM.
“Heartfelt birthday greetings and best wishes to the Prime Minister of India, Shri @narendramodi ji. By exemplifying the pinnacle of hard work through your extraordinary leadership, you have instilled a culture of achieving great goals in the country,” she said.
Thanking her, Modi said his government will remain dedicated to building a strong, capable and self-reliant India with the help of its over 140 cr citizens, and described her vision and ideas as inspirational.
Vice President C P 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.
Speaker Om Birla said his unparalleled dedication and commitment to the country is an inspiration to every Indian.
BJP leaders and members of other parties extended birthday wishes to Modi, who has led his party to unprecedented geographical expansion and electoral success since 2014.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Modi with his visionary leadership, dedication to the nation and untiring hardwork has given the country new energy and shown it a new direction.
He has enhanced India’s capability and respect globally, and his commitment to people’s and the poor’s welfare is exemplary, Singh said.
Home Minister Amit Shah said Modi has been working tirelessly for people’s welfare for more than five decades, and he is a living inspiration of the ‘nation first’ motto for every citizen. In posts on X, Shah described him as a symbol of sacrifice and dedication, and inspiration for crores of countrymen.
The home minister said from the RSS to the party and the government, Modi’s journey in life shows the possibility of extensive transformations when resolve is as unwavering as the Himalayas and vision is as vast as the ocean.
“The entire nation takes pride in Modi, who has brought unimaginable changes to the lives of crores of citizens and connected them to the journey of building a developed and self-reliant India,” he said.
Shah said that for the past four decades, he has had the opportunity to observe Modi in various roles — whether as an RSS pracharak, the BJP’s organisational general secretary, chief minister of Gujarat, or as the country’s prime minister for the past 11 years.
“Modi has always placed the nation first and himself last. Workers like me are fortunate to have had the chance to work with him in every role he has undertaken,” he said.