Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 1 July 2025, extended warm birthday greetings to former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who turns 76, praising his lifelong dedication to national development, agriculture, rural progress, and the welfare of the underprivileged.

What Modi and Shah Said

Taking to social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi wrote: 'Warm birthday greetings to former Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu Garu. Throughout his distinguished public life, he has made a mark for his steadfast commitment to national development and serving the downtrodden. His passion for agriculture and rural development is noteworthy. I always cherish the fact that I have worked together with him for several years. Praying for his long and healthy life.'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also posted birthday wishes, saying: 'Birthday greetings to Shri Venkaiah Naidu Ji. From people's politics to the Vice President, Naidu Ji set exemplars in upholding constitutional values and raising issues of the citizens, for our young leaders to emulate. Praying for his good health and a long life.'

From Unguturu to Raisina Hill: A Political Journey

Born on 1 July 1949 in Unguturu village, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, Naidu pursued law with a specialisation in International Law from Andhra University College of Law in Visakhapatnam. His political roots trace back to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), where he rose to lead the students' union of colleges affiliated with Andhra University.

He first drew national attention through his active role in the Jai Andhra Movement of 1972 and later became convener of the anti-corruption Jayaprakash Narayan Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti in Andhra Pradesh in 1974. During the Emergency of 1975, Naidu participated in protests against the government and was imprisoned — an episode that cemented his reputation as a grassroots political activist.

Legislative Career and Cabinet Roles

Naidu was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice from Udaygiri constituency, Nellore district — in 1978 and again in 1983. He entered the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 1998, was re-elected in 2004 and 2010, and served as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s national president from 2002 to 2004.

Under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee following the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, Naidu served as Union Cabinet Minister for Rural Development, credited with advancing the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. After the BJP's return to power in 2014, he was sworn in as Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs on 26 May 2014, later also holding the portfolios of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information and Broadcasting.

13th Vice President of India

In 2017, Naidu resigned from the Union Cabinet after being nominated as the NDA's candidate for the Vice President's election. He won decisively, securing 516 votes against Opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who received 244 votes. He was sworn in as the 13th Vice President of India on 11 August 2017.

Notably, Naidu made a conscious effort to master Hindi — uncommon among politicians from southern India — enabling him to address public meetings across northern India. His oratory, marked by memorable alliterations and witty expressions, made him one of the BJP's most recognisable communicators between 1996 and 2000 as the party's national spokesperson.

Social Work and the Swarna Bharat Trust

Beyond politics, Naidu founded the Swarna Bharat Trust in Nellore, which runs educational institutions for underprivileged, orphaned, and specially-abled children and conducts skill development and self-employment training, particularly for women and youth. As he marks his 76th birthday, tributes from across the political spectrum reflect his standing as one of India's most enduring public figures.