PM Modi wishes former President Kovind on his birthday
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A quiet but warm tribute crossed the timeline on Thursday, 1 October 2026, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday greetings to former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind, saluting decades of public service shaped by constitutional values and personal simplicity.
In his post, the Prime Minister wrote that Kovind's 'long years in public life have been marked by a steadfast commitment to the development of India, the values enshrined in our Constitution and welfare of the people.' He added that Kovind 'has served the nation with passion and simplicity due to which he is respected by people across all walks of life,' and offered wishes for 'wonderful health, happiness and a long life.'
From Kanpur Dehat to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Ram Nath Kovind served as the 14th President of India from July 2017 to July 2022, succeeding Pranab Mukherjee. Born in Paraunkh village, Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh, he rose through the legal profession and grassroots BJP work before being appointed Governor of Bihar in 2015. His trajectory from a modest rural background to the highest constitutional office made him a symbol of social mobility that cut across partisan lines.
A constitutional tenure defined by quiet diligence
Kovind's five-year presidential term was widely characterised by institutional restraint and dignified conduct. He addressed joint sessions of Parliament, undertook diplomatic visits abroad, and lent the weight of Rashtrapati Bhavan to causes including sanitation, education, and rural development — themes that resonated with his own origins. His successor, President Droupadi Murmu, took office in July 2022.