PM Modi turns birthday greetings into message of citizen empowerment and Viksit Bharat
New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday used his 76th birthday to reiterate his government's emphasis on nation-building, citizen empowerment, self-reliance and the goal of making India a developed country, as he thanked President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh for their greetings.
Responding to President Murmu's birthday wishes in a post on social media platform X, Modi said India was moving ahead with "new energy and greater speed" towards building a "progressive, prosperous, self-reliant and developed India".
"Hon'ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji, thank you very much for your warm wishes," Modi said, describing the President's guidance and inspiration as invaluable to the country's nation-building journey. He said her guidance strengthened the government's efforts towards public service and underlined the importance of combining citizens' participation with India's rich heritage and modern development.
"In this journey of nation-building, your guidance and inspiration are invaluable for us. They give further strength to our efforts towards public service," Modi said, adding that the government was committed to taking India to "new heights" through public participation and by bringing together the country's heritage and modern development. In his response to Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Modi thanked him for his "warm and thoughtful wishes" and said the government would continue working with "renewed energy and resolve" to empower every citizen.
"We will continue working with renewed energy and resolve to empower every citizen, ensuring that the fruits of development reach every corner of the country and fulfilling our collective resolve of building a Viksit Bharat," he said. The reference to "Viksit Bharat" echoed one of the central themes of the Modi government's development narrative, with the Prime Minister repeatedly presenting India's transformation into a developed nation as a long-term national objective.
Responding to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Modi thanked him for his "affectionate message" and said his sentiments were "extremely valuable" to him. He attributed India's continuing development to the talent and hard work of its citizens. "On the strength of the talent and hard work of crores of countrymen, the country is setting new benchmarks of development every day," Modi said. "With their cooperation and blessings, we are committed with complete dedication to making India more empowered, prosperous and self-reliant."
His response to Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also focused on public service and citizen empowerment. "Thank you from the heart for your good wishes, Harivansh Ji," Modi said, adding that his resolve to serve every citizen remained "unwavering". He said the government was leaving "no stone unturned" in its efforts to empower people in every possible way. The series of responses came amid a stream of birthday greetings from political leaders, public figures and people across the country. The Prime Minister's Office separately said Modi had expressed gratitude for the affection and blessings he received from people on his birthday.
Modi also thanked citizens for their greetings and said gestures such as the "Ashirwad Ka Diya" had deeply touched him. He said every blessing strengthened his resolve to serve the country with greater devotion. The birthday exchanges consequently went beyond personal expressions of gratitude, with Modi repeatedly linking the occasion to themes that have featured prominently in his government's political and development messaging - public participation, inclusive growth, self-reliance, citizen empowerment and the creation of a developed India.
The Prime Minister has similarly used his birthday on earlier occasions to connect personal greetings with the larger theme of public service. In September 2024, while thanking people for their birthday wishes, he said their affection strengthened his resolve to work harder for the people and linked development-oriented initiatives to the broader objective of building a "Viksit Bharat". This year, too, Modi presented nation-building as a collective undertaking, stressing the contribution of ordinary citizens alongside government efforts.
His references to the talent and hard work of crores of Indians, the participation of citizens and the delivery of development benefits to every corner of the country placed public involvement at the centre of his birthday message.
