Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 8 November 2026, called on veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani at his residence in New Delhi to personally convey birthday greetings. Advani, who turned 99 on the day, formally entered his hundredth year — a landmark milestone for one of modern India's most consequential political figures and a recipient of the nation's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

A Visit to a Party Patriarch

During the meeting, PM Modi spent time with Advani, extending wishes for good health and long life. The Prime Minister later shared reflections from the visit, underscoring Advani's pivotal role in nation-building, in strengthening the BJP's grassroots machinery, and in decades of public service that spanned some of the most turbulent chapters of independent India.

On his official X account, PM Modi wrote: 'Today, November 8, is a landmark day. Respected L.K. Advani Ji enters his hundredth year. On this special occasion, my greetings to him. I've written an article in which I've highlighted his everlasting contribution to India. I have recalled his journey, be it experiencing the horrors of Partition and rebuilding life from scratch, strengthening the Jana Sangh and building the BJP, standing up for democracy during the Emergency, leading the Somnath to Ayodhya Rath Yatra or serving the nation in government. Have also written about other aspects of Advani Ji — the voracious reader, his love for culture and cinema, a prolific writer and more.'

A Life That Shaped Indian Politics

Modi traced Advani's arc from the horrors of Partition in 1947 — when the future leader was uprooted and had to rebuild his life from nothing — to his formative years as an RSS Pracharak and his subsequent rise as a Parliamentarian. The Prime Minister highlighted Advani's ideological clarity, resilience, and his unwavering commitment to the principle of 'Nation First.'

Among the milestones Modi recalled was Advani's legendary Somnath to Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra, widely credited with reshaping India's political landscape in the early 1990s, as well as his firm resistance during the Emergency. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Advani's long-standing partnership with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing the duo as a model of leadership built on collaboration rather than rivalry — a standard, he argued, that fundamentally altered the direction of Indian politics.

Nationwide Celebrations and Cross-Party Tributes

The occasion drew warm wishes from political figures across party lines, Cabinet Ministers, and BJP workers from across the country. Special gatherings and programmes were organised nationwide to mark Advani's entry into his 100th year. Members of the political fraternity acknowledged that his legacy — characterised by discipline, selfless service, and intellectual depth — continues to serve as a reference point for public life in India.

Notably, tributes cutting across ideological divides reflect the singular stature Advani commands even among those who have differed with him politically. This is a rare distinction in an era of heightened partisan polarisation.

Advani's Enduring Legacy

Advani is credited with transforming the BJP from a marginal force in the late 1970s into a dominant national party. His leadership, alongside Vajpayee, laid the ideological and organisational groundwork that the party has built upon in every subsequent election cycle. His role in nurturing generations of party workers — including Modi himself — is frequently cited as his most lasting contribution to the institution.

As Advani steps into his centenary year, the gathering of well-wishers and the breadth of tributes signal that his place in India's post-independence political history remains undisputed.