PM Modi Becomes Second PM After Nehru to Deliver 13th Consecutive I-Day Speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday delivered his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, marking another milestone in his tenure as prime minister.With this, PM Modi became the second prime minister after India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to deliver 13 consecutive Independence Day speeches from the historic venue. He has maintained the tradition every year since taking office in 2014.The latest address came as India celebrated its 80th Independence Day. PM Modi began the ceremony by hoisting the National Flag at the Red Fort, following which the flag-hoisting ceremony was synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the ceremonial battery.Nehru continues to hold the record for the longest uninterrupted run of Independence Day addresses. He delivered 17 consecutive speeches from the Red Fort between 1947 and 1963, covering India's early years as an independent nation.PM Modi has now moved ahead of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who delivered 11 consecutive Independence Day speeches between 1966 and 1976.The 13th consecutive address also adds to PM Modi's long association with the Red Fort's Independence Day tradition. Since 2014, his speeches from the historic monument have focused on the government's priorities, national development and India's future.With his latest address, PM Modi has further strengthened his position among India's longest-serving prime ministers in terms of consecutive Independence Day speeches, with only Nehru ahead of him on the list.