NEW DELHI: While September 17 is usually marked by quiet personal traditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 64th birthday in 2014 stands out as a unique historic milestone blending personal heritage with global diplomacy.
Having taken office as Prime Minister just months earlier in May 2014, PM Modi hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping on his home turf in Gujarat on September 17. Breaking away from rigid protocol, PM Modi welcomed the Chinese leader in Ahmedabad. The two leaders sat together on traditional Gujarati swings (jhulas) along the newly restored Sabarmati Riverfront, discussing international trade, culture, and bilateral relations against a scenic evening backdrop.
Earlier that morning, true to a deeply cherished personal tradition, PM Modi visited his late mother Heeraben Modi at her residence in Gandhinagar. He sought her blessings, received a simple homemade sweet (laddoo and jaggery), and was gifted a small monetary token—a quiet ritual he observed religiously every year until her passing.
September 17, 2014, perfectly encapsulated Narendra Modi’s dual journey – rooted deeply in personal devotion to family and motherland, yet boldly redefining modern international diplomacy.
