The occasion has brought renewed attention to his early years in Vadnagar, Gujarat, where his childhood friends recalled memories of growing up with him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on Thursday, September 17.
He also recalled that the two remained close during their school years, taking part in debates and spending time reading. 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.
Pathan highlighted that in 1961, the two boys wanted to join the RSS but did not have the one-rupee fee required for registration.
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. 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, according to Pathan. 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. 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.
