Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on Thursday, September 17. The occasion has brought renewed attention to his early years in Vadnagar, Gujarat, where his childhood friends recalled memories of growing up with him.
Two of his childhood friends, Dolat Khan Pathan and Shamaldas Modi, have shared memories of their school days, friendship and life in Vadnagar.
Dolat Khan Pathan, who studied with PM Modi at Prerna School from Class 4 to Class 7, recalled growing up alongside him in Vadnagar in the 1960s. Speaking to NDTV, Pathan shared that he is originally from Vadnagar, where their Pathan community comprises a neighborhood of around 250 to 300 houses, situated immediately adjacent to the PM Modi family's neighbourhood and childhood home.
Pathan recalled that the two walked to school and grew up in families with limited financial means.
Pathan said his family depended on a small pension after his father's death, while PM Modi's family largely relied on his father's earnings.
Pathan highlighted that in 1961, the two boys wanted to join the RSS but did not have the one-rupee fee required for registration. According to Pathan, PM Modi went to his home to persuade his mother to provide the money, while Pathan approached PM Modi's mother, Heeraben, for the same help.
Though Pathan's fee was returned three days later due to his Muslim background, PM Modi initially declared he would not stay without his friend until Pathan urged him to remain.
He also recalled that the two remained close during their school years, taking part in debates and spending time reading. He said PM Modi was encouraged to visit the library and read newspapers after a school debate on former Gujarat Chief Minister Balwantrai Mehta.
During a 2009 meeting in the Gujarat Chief Minister's office, PM Modi warmly reminisced about those childhood shorts with Pathan, jokingly offering him "half of Gujarat" upon retirement, though family responsibilities kept Pathan from joining active BJP politics. Their friendship continued decades later.
Another childhood friend, Shamaldas Modi, marked the Prime Minister's birthday with a letter from Vadnagar. In the letter, he described their friendship as similar to the bond between Krishna and Sudama, recalling the years they spent together as children. The letter referred to PM Modi as determined from his early days and highlighted his connection with Vadnagar.
Shamaldas also wrote about the changes he has seen in Vadnagar over the years. He expressed gratitude for the development of the town and said the place where the two friends grew up together has gained greater recognition in tourism and cultural activities.
He prayed that Lord Hatkeshwar Mahadev would keep the Prime Minister healthy and grant him the strength to continue advancing in the service of the nation. He also thanked the Prime Minister for the development of Vadnagar.
The memories shared by PM Modi's childhood friends come as he marks his 76th birthday and 25 years since he first took charge of a government. Born in Vadnagar on September 17, 1950, he spent his formative years in the town.
For those who knew him as a young boy, the birthday has become an occasion to look back at the ordinary moments they shared, from school days to the hardships and experiences that shaped their early lives.
