PM Modi wishes Mallikarjun Kharge on his 83rd birthday
Synopsis
Prime Minister Modi crossed party lines on 21 July to publicly wish Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on his 83rd birthday via X, with Congress leaders and Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora also joining in. The gesture spotlights Kharge’s stature as a constitutional figure and one of India’s most prominent Dalit political leaders.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi wished Mallikarjun Kharge on his birthday via a post on X on 21 July .
Kharge turns 83 today, born on 21 July 1942 in Varawatti village, Bidar district, Karnataka .
He has served as Congress President since 2022 and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha since 2021 .
Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora and Congress MP Manickam Tagore also posted birthday wishes on X .
Telangana Congress President Bomma Maheshkumar Goud extended greetings on social media, highlighting Kharge’s commitment to social justice and the Constitution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 21 July extended birthday greetings to Congress National President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, wishing him a long and healthy life. Modi posted his wishes on X, marking a rare cross-party gesture between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the principal opposition.
Modi's Message
In his post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote: “Birthday greetings to the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life.” The message was notable for its warm tone, given the sharp political rivalry between the BJP and the Indian National Congress (INC).
Who Is Mallikarjun Kharge
Mallikarjun Kharge was born on 21 July 1942 in Varawatti village, Bhalki Taluk, Bidar district, Karnataka. Hailing from a Dalit family, he has built a decades-long career in Indian politics. He has served as President of the Indian National Congress since 2022 and as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha since 2021. He has represented Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha since 2020.
Wishes Pour In From Congress Leaders
Several Congress leaders and political figures joined in the birthday wishes. Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora posted on X: “Warm birthday greetings to the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. Wishing you good health, happiness and many more years of dedicated service to our democracy and the nation.”
Congress MP Manickam Tagore also took to X, saying: “Warm birthday wishes to Hon’ble Congress President & Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha), Thiru Mallikarjun Kharge saheb. Wishing you good health, happiness, and continued strength as you serve the nation with dedication.”
Telangana Congress President Bomma Maheshkumar Goud extended greetings on social media, stating: “Your unwavering commitment to the values of the Congress party, social justice, and the Constitution continues to inspire millions across the nation. Wishing you good health, happiness, and many more years of dedicated service to the people of India.”
Context and Significance
Kharge, who turns 83 today, is one of the most prominent Dalit political figures in contemporary India. His ascent to the Congress presidency in 2022 ended a decades-long era of the Gandhi family holding the post, making him only the second non-Gandhi to lead the party in over two decades. As Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he plays a central constitutional role in holding the government to account. Modi’s public gesture underscores the tradition of cross-party courtesies even amid intense parliamentary and electoral competition.
Point of View
But it carries quiet political weight. Kharge is not merely an opposition figurehead — as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he holds a constitutionally recognised role that the BJP’s own parliamentary dominance has made more symbolically significant. The cross-party gesture also comes at a time when the BJP and Congress are locked in fierce electoral competition across multiple states. That Modi chose to post publicly on X, rather than a private message, signals an awareness of optics: it positions the Prime Minister as statesmanlike without conceding any political ground. The more substantive story, however, is Kharge himself — at 83, leading a party in structural renewal while simultaneously serving as its primary parliamentary voice.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did PM Modi wish Mallikarjun Kharge on his birthday?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday greetings to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on 21 July via a post on X, wishing him a long and healthy life. The gesture reflects the tradition of cross-party courtesies between senior constitutional figures in Indian politics.
How old is Mallikarjun Kharge in 2025?
Mallikarjun Kharge turns 83 on 21 July 2025, having been born on 21 July 1942 in Varawatti village, Bhalki Taluk, Bidar district, Karnataka.
What positions does Mallikarjun Kharge currently hold?
Kharge serves as President of the Indian National Congress since 2022 and as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha since 2021. He has been a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka since 2020.
Who else wished Mallikarjun Kharge on his birthday?
Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora, Congress MP Manickam Tagore, and Telangana Congress President Bomma Maheshkumar Goud all posted birthday wishes for Kharge, with Deora and Tagore posting on X.
What is the significance of Mallikarjun Kharge’s political background?
Kharge hails from a Dalit family in Karnataka and has had a decades-long political career. His election as Congress President in 2022 made him only the second non-Gandhi to lead the party in over two decades, marking a significant moment in Indian political history.
