- From 104 units of blood at NFSU to 88 lakh diyas across Gujarat, celebrations take a service-and-community turn
- CM Bhupendra Patel joins programmes in Ahmedabad and Vadnagar as state marks PM Modi’s 76th birthday
- Kankaria Lakefront set for 1.25 lakh diyas while 76,000 lamps illuminate Atal Bridge
- Vadnagar–Varanasi bike yatra marks both birthday and 25 years since Modi became Gujarat CM
- Cow donations, kitchen-garden saplings, health initiatives and cultural programmes widen the outreach
- NFSU combines blood donation, health check-up, My Bharat Quiz and ‘Modi-Manthan’ book exhibition
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD/GANDHINAGAR, SEPT 17
From a single unit of blood to a sea of 88 lakh diyas, Gujarat marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday on Thursday with a statewide mosaic of service initiatives, cultural programmes, community activities and public events—turning September 17 into a day where the numbers themselves became part of the narrative: 104 units of blood, 76,000 lamps, 1.25 lakh diyas, 76,000 saplings and 76 Gir cows.
At the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, the emphasis was firmly on students and social responsibility, with a blood donation camp yielding 104 units of blood, alongside a health check-up, the My Bharat Quiz, a special book exhibition and the launch of the Aashirwad Ke Deep initiative under the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the NFSU programme and encouraged students to participate in activities connected with nation-building. The blood donation camp was organised under the guidance of NFSU Vice-Chancellor Dr J.M. Vyas, with the university describing the response as overwhelming.
More than 100 students participated in the My Bharat Quiz and received certificates. The health check-up was organised in collaboration with Ahmedabad-based Dr Jivraj Mehta Hospital.
Gujarat lights up
The NFSU programme formed one part of a much larger Gujarat-wide celebration. More than 88 lakh earthen lamps were planned at over 18,500 locations across the state under the Aashirvad No Divdo initiative, part of the month-long Seva Ane Sankalp Abhiyan marking the birthday and 25 years of Modi’s public service.
In Ahmedabad, 1.25 lakh diyas were lit at the Kankaria Lakefront, while another 76,000 lamps were planned at Atal Bridge. The celebrations also included an evening aarti at Jagannath Temple involving sanitation workers.
The scale was equally visible at Vishwa Umiyadham, where a midnight programme saw the lighting of thousands of lamps, a Maha Aarti and a collective rendition of Vande Mataram. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in the programme and prayers were offered for the Prime Minister’s long life. Reports put the participation at around 5,000 people.
From Vadnagar to Varanasi
The celebrations also linked Modi’s birthday with another milestone in his political journey—the completion of 25 years since he became Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001.
The Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra from Vadnagar to Varanasi and back began on September 17 and is scheduled to conclude on October 7. Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the Vadnagar–Varanasi leg, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to inaugurate the return route from Varanasi.
The Vadnagar programme brought together Amit Shah, Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and others, with events centred on Modi’s birthplace and his public-life milestone.
Service gets a community face
The celebrations extended beyond ceremonial programmes.
In Mehsana district, 76 Gir cows were donated to 76 women from economically weaker sections, with organisers saying the initiative was aimed at supporting livelihoods and self-reliance.
The Vishwa Gujarati Samaj launched an initiative to distribute 76,000 saplings for kitchen gardens, coupled with cultivation guidance, linking the birthday observance with household-level food growing and environmental awareness.
Surat too joined the statewide programme, with reports of more than 10 lakh earthen lamps being lit at over 10,800 locations, alongside other community-led activities.
NFSU puts students at the centre
At NFSU, the My Bharat Quiz brought students directly into the day’s programme, while the Modi-Manthan exhibition at the university’s Knowledge Resource Centre presented a curated collection of books covering Modi’s writings, biography, thoughts, perspectives, vision and public life.
In the evening, students and faculty participated in the Aashirwad Ke Deep programme, formally inaugurating the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan at the university.
The combination of blood donation, preventive health, knowledge activities and student participation gave the NFSU programme a distinctly institutional character, complementing the larger public celebrations across Gujarat.
Vadodara adds a local glow to statewide celebrations
In Vadodara, the birthday observances also took a local turn, with party workers associated with Booth No. 116 and Nutan Vidyalaya Shakti Kendra in Subhanpura gathering at Sukriti Mahadev Temple in Diwalipura on September 17 evening. At around 6.30 pm, they participated in the lighting of the ‘Aashirwad No Divdo’ (Lamp of Blessings) as part of the birthday observances.
The gathering included prayers for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long life and continued public service, with participants dedicating the lamp to wishes for his longevity and continued contribution to the country. The programme reflected the participation of grassroots party workers in the wider series of birthday-related activities being held across Gujarat.
A birthday measured in numbers
The Gujarat celebrations ultimately produced a striking numerical canvas: 104 units of blood collected at NFSU; 76,000 lamps associated with major Ahmedabad locations; 1.25 lakh diyas at Kankaria; 88 lakh earthen lamps planned across more than 18,500 locations; 76 Gir cows for 76 women; 76,000 kitchen-garden saplings; and a bike journey linking Vadnagar with Varanasi.
Beyond the numbers, the programmes brought together students, volunteers, community organisations, women beneficiaries, sanitation workers, cultural groups and public institutions, making the birthday observance as much a series of community activities as a ceremonial occasion.
The Gujarat chapter of the celebrations therefore offered several distinct lenses—service, students, sustainability, community participation, culture and public engagement—while connecting the Prime Minister’s 76th birthday with the 25-year milestone of his public life in Gujarat and beyond.
