Modi Honors L.K. Advani on His 99th Birthday, Reflects on Party’s Journey

When Lala Krishna Advani turned 99 on November 8, the nation’s prime minister put pen to paper and offered a moving homage. Narendra Modi, who was then a young organizer in the BJP, recalled how the veteran’s life intersected with almost every chapter of modern India.

Born in Karachi in 1927, Advani was forced to leave Sindh during the 1947 Partition and start over in a new country. Modi highlighted that resilience – the ability to rebuild after upheaval – as the thread that ran through the leader’s public and political career.

The tribute, published in India Today, called Advani “one of the few people whose lives have touched so many different chapters of modern India.” Modi traced that claim back to the Jana Sangh days, noting how Advani’s relentless organising helped the fledgling outfit evolve into the Bharatiya Janata Party we know today.

During Advani’s two stints as BJP president, the party’s fortunes rose dramatically. In 1996, under his watch, the BJP became the single‑largest party in Parliament for the first time. Modi credited Advani’s emphasis on a “Nation First” ethos for laying the organisational foundation that later generations of workers would build upon.

The prime minister also spoke of the camaraderie between Advani and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said their partnership proved that senior leaders could cooperate for decades without letting personal ambition become a source of rivalry.

On a more personal note, Modi reminisced about the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. He remembered helping to prepare Advani’s nomination papers for Gandhinagar and joining the campaign trail. “I voted for him there many times,” he wrote, adding that Advani’s deep connection with his constituency was evident in every door‑to‑door visit.

Modi’s memories stretched back further, recalling Advani’s early work in Delhi as chairman of the Metropolitan Council in 1967 and his days as an RSS pracharak in Rajasthan. He also referenced the veteran’s courageous stand during the Emergency of 1975, which Advani later chronicled in his book “A Prisoner’s Scrap‑Book.”

Beyond the parliamentary chambers, Advani held key portfolios: Information and Broadcasting in the Janata government of 1977, Home Ministry and Deputy Prime Ministership in the Vajpayee‑led NDA. Modi praised his contributions to strengthening India’s security architecture and his firm stance against terrorism.

The tribute highlighted the iconic Somnath‑Ayodhya Rath Yatra, describing how Advani’s stamina and oratory carried the message across the country. Modi admitted he was part of the planning and execution, witnessing the leader’s physical endurance firsthand.

Modi also painted a picture of Advani as a voracious reader and an aficionado of cinema, theatre and history. He mentioned the autobiography “My Country, My Life” and Advani’s efforts to keep Sindhi culture alive, such as the Sindhu Darshan Puja near Leh – an event both men attended alongside former defence minister George Fernandes.

Finally, Modi paid tribute to Kamla Advani, describing her as the constant pillar of support throughout the veteran’s public life. He concluded by saying that Advani’s legacy will continue to inspire generations of party workers and citizens alike.