Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 72 on Saturday and marked his birthday by addressing four events covering fields as diverse as wildlife and the launch of logistics policy, as greetings poured in from leaders and other prominent personalities.
Dignitaries like President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar praised his ''nation-building project and transformative vision'' while many others, including his Cabinet colleagues, hailed his contribution to making a "strong and self-reliant" India.
The ruling BJP launched a 15-day "seva" (service) exercise with its president J P Nadda asserting that serving people to mark the birthday of the party's foremost leader is in keeping with his vision.
He also inaugurated an exhibition on the prime minister's life at the party headquarters here.
It was a busy day for PM Modi who began a hectic schedule by releasing cheetahs brought from Namibia at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, under a landmark project seven decades after the animal was declared extinct in the country.
Stating that the 'Project Cheetah' was his government's endeavour towards environment and wildlife conservation, he also had a go at previous dispensations for making no "constructive efforts" to revive the population of the world's fastest animal in India.
He also addressed women self-help group members at Sheopur in the state in another event.