Pralhad Joshi Greets LK Advani on 99th Birthday
Synopsis
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wished Bharat Ratna and former Deputy PM L.K. Advani on his 99th birthday on 8 November 2026, praising his visionary leadership and lifelong dedication to nation-building as Advani steps into his centenary year.
Key Takeaways
Advani turns 99 on 8 November 2026 , entering his centenary year.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi extended greetings in both English and Kannada, underscoring the tribute's pan-India reach.
Advani served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Bharat Ratna was conferred on Advani in 2024 for his decades of public service.
Joshi described Advani as a statesman who lived by the credo 'Nation First' throughout his life.
Advani's centenary year (2027) is expected to be a significant political and cultural milestone for the BJP.
A veteran statesman turns 99 on 8 November 2026 — and tributes are pouring in from across India's political spectrum. Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi extended warm birthday greetings to Bharat Ratna and former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, honouring a life devoted entirely to public service.
In his post, Joshi wrote: 'His visionary leadership, lifelong dedication and invaluable contribution to nation-building continue to inspire generations.' In Kannada, he described Advani as 'ದೇಶ ಕಂಡ ಮುತ್ಸದ್ಧಿ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿ' — 'a statesman the nation has seen' — and noted that Advani has lived by the credo of 'Nation First' throughout his life.
From Karachi to Bharat Ratna: Advani's arc across Indian politics
Lal Krishna Advani, born 8 November 1927, has spent the better part of a century at the heart of Indian public life. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and was among the principal architects of the BJP's rise from a marginal parliamentary presence to one of India's dominant political forces. The Government of India conferred the Bharat Ratna on him in 2024, the country's highest civilian honour, in recognition of his decades of public service.
Joshi's bilingual post — in English and Kannada — also noted that Advani is stepping into his centenary year, framing the moment as one of historical significance. The Kannada phrase 'ಜನ್ಮಶತಮಾನೋತ್ಸವಕ್ಕೆ ಪಾದಾರ್ಪಣೆ' translates as 'entering the centenary celebration,' marking the threshold of his hundredth year.
A Karnataka voice paying homage to a pan-India patriarch
Pralhad Joshi, a senior BJP leader from Karnataka who currently holds the portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, chose to write in both English and Kannada — a signal that the tribute carries weight beyond Delhi's political circles and resonates with the party's southern base as well.
Birthday messages to Advani from serving ministers have become a fixture on the political calendar, but this year carries added weight: Advani's 99th birthday is the last before the centenary threshold, a milestone that the BJP and its broader ecosystem are likely to mark with significance through 2027.
At 99, L.K. Advani remains a living bridge between the founding generation of the BJP and its present form — a reminder that the party's current electoral dominance was built on decades of groundwork he helped lay.
Point of View
He stands at the threshold of a centenary that the BJP is likely to frame as a moment of institutional memory and ideological continuity. For ministers like Joshi, such public acknowledgements reinforce loyalty to the party's founding generation at a time when the BJP's identity is increasingly defined by its present leadership. The bilingual, Kannada-English format of Joshi's post is also a subtle assertion of the party's southern ambitions — invoking Advani's legacy as a unifying force across regional lines. With centenary programmes likely being planned for 2027, this birthday marks not just a personal milestone but the start of a year-long political commemoration.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is LK Advani in 2026?
L.K. Advani turns 99 on 8 November 2026 , having been born on 8 November 1927. He is now entering his centenary year.
When did LK Advani receive the Bharat Ratna?
L.K. Advani was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2024 by the Government of India in recognition of his lifelong contribution to public service.
Was LK Advani the Deputy Prime Minister of India?
Yes. L.K. Advani served as Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004 in the government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Who is Pralhad Joshi?
Pralhad Joshi is a senior BJP leader from Karnataka and a Union Minister currently holding the portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy.
What is LK Advani's centenary year?
Since Advani was born on 8 November 1927 , his 100th birthday falls in 2027 , making 2026-27 his centenary year — a milestone expected to be marked with significant events by the BJP.
