PM Modi Wishes Jitan Ram Manjhi on Birthday
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A veteran of India's political trenches who has spent decades championing the marginalised, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi turned a year older on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 — and Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the occasion with a warm public tribute on X.
Modi credited Manjhi with a lifelong commitment to the poor and underprivileged, writing: 'In his many years in public life, he has always worked to empower the poor and underprivileged.' The Prime Minister also highlighted Manjhi's active role in accelerating India's MSME sector, describing it as having 'a key role to play in making India prosperous and self-reliant.'
From Bihar's margins to the MSME ministry
Jitan Ram Manjhi is one of Indian politics' most distinctive voices — a Dalit leader from Bihar who rose to become Chief Minister of the state before founding his own party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). His political journey has been defined by advocacy for the most economically and socially excluded communities.
As a Union Minister, Manjhi has been associated with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises — a portfolio that sits at the intersection of his lifelong concern for economic upliftment and the government's broader 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) agenda. The MSME sector employs over 11 crore people across India and is widely regarded as a critical engine of rural and semi-urban employment.
Why Modi's shout-out carries political weight
Birthday greetings from a sitting Prime Minister are, of course, a staple of Indian political culture — but the specific language Modi chose is telling. By publicly linking Manjhi to MSME momentum and national self-reliance, the Prime Minister reinforces the NDA coalition's messaging around inclusive growth while signalling continued confidence in a key ally whose support base among Musahar and Dalit communities in Bihar remains electorally significant.
As Bihar continues to be a critical state in national arithmetic, a public gesture of solidarity with Manjhi is as much coalition management as it is a personal birthday wish.