New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended warm birthday greetings to former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, saying he will always cherish the opportunity to have worked closely with him for several years.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister praised Naidu’s long and distinguished public life, highlighting his unwavering commitment to national development, agriculture, rural progress and the welfare of the underprivileged.

PM 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 extended birthday wishes and said, “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.”

Born on July 1, 1949, in Unguturu village of West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, Venkaiah Naidu completed his schooling at Zilla Parishad High School in Bucchireddy Palem, Nellore. He later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Diplomatic Studies from V.R. College before pursuing a law degree with a specialisation in International Law from Andhra University College of Law in Visakhapatnam.

Naidu’s political journey began during his student years. He was a swayamsevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) while in college. He was elected president of the students’ union of colleges affiliated with Andhra University and soon emerged as an influential student leader.

He first came into the national spotlight for his active role in the Jai Andhra Movement of 1972. While veteran leader Kakani Venkata Ratnam led the agitation from Vijayawada, Naidu played a prominent role in mobilising support in Nellore until the movement concluded the following year.

In 1974, Naidu became the convener of the anti-corruption Jayaprakash Narayan Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti in Andhra Pradesh. During the Emergency imposed in 1975, he actively participated in protests against the government and was imprisoned. Between 1977 and 1980, he served as the president of the organisation’s youth wing.

Known for his exceptional oratory skills and strong advocacy for farmers and the development of backward regions, Naidu steadily rose in public life. His leadership qualities and political activism helped him secure election to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice from the Udaygiri constituency in Nellore district, first in 1978 and again in 1983. Over the years, he emerged as one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s most prominent leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

After holding several important organisational positions within the BJP at both the state and national levels, Naidu was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 1998. He was re-elected from the state in 2004 and 2010.

Between 1996 and 2000, he served as the BJP’s national spokesperson and became widely known for his distinctive communication style, marked by memorable alliterations and witty expressions. Unlike many politicians from southern India, Naidu made a conscious effort to master Hindi, enabling him to effectively address public meetings across northern India.

Following the National Democratic Alliance’s victory in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Naidu was appointed Union Cabinet Minister for Rural Development. During his tenure, he was credited with pushing major rural development reforms and promoting flagship initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, aimed at improving rural road connectivity across the country.

After the BJP returned to power in the 2014 general elections under PM Modi, Naidu was sworn in as the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs on May 26, 2014. He later also held the portfolios of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation as well as Information and Broadcasting.

A senior BJP leader, Naidu served as the party’s national president from 2002 to 2004. He succeeded Jana Krishnamurthi in 2002 and was elected unopposed to a full three-year term on January 28, 2004. Following the BJP-led NDA’s defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he resigned as party president on October 18, 2004, and was succeeded by L.K. Advani. Despite stepping down, he remained one of the BJP’s senior vice-presidents and a key campaigner.

As a Rajya Sabha member, Naidu strongly advocated Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. During a debate in February 2014, he raised the issue in the Upper House and urged the Centre to extend the status to the state. Although the then Prime Minister agreed in principle, the provision was not included in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

Naidu was nominated by the BJP to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on May 29, 2016, and was elected unopposed. On July 5, 2016, he was additionally entrusted with the charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry while continuing to handle his other responsibilities.

In 2017, Naidu resigned from the Union Cabinet after being nominated as the BJP-led NDA’s candidate for the Vice President’s election. He secured a decisive victory, receiving 516 votes against Opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who secured 244 votes. He was sworn in as the 13th Vice President of India on August 11, 2017.

Apart from politics, Naidu has also been actively associated with social service through the Swarna Bharat Trust, which he founded in Nellore. The trust runs educational institutions for underprivileged, orphaned and specially-abled children while also conducting skill development and self-employment training programmes, particularly for women and youth.

–IANS

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