"Touched," Says Shashi Tharoor After PM Modi's "Thoughtful" Birthday Wish

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who turned 64 on Monday, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a birthday greeting in Malayalam.

"Thank you @narendramodi & @PMOIndia for this elaborate birthday greeting in shudh sahitya Malayalam! Am touched by your thoughtfulness," he tweeted.

Mr Tharoor, the lawmaker from Thiruvananthapuram, also translated the greeting for his followers on Twitter: "My heartfelt wishes on yr birthday. I wish for yr coming days to be filled w/happiness&prosperity. Wish u peace, comfort&luck on yr birthday. I sincerely wish u continue to commit the many years of yr experience in public life,& yr scholarship, for nation-building."

Thank you ⁦@narendramodi⁩ & ⁦@PMOIndia⁩ for this elaborate birthday greeting in shudh sahitya Malayalam! Am touched by your thoughtfulness. pic.twitter.com/UJX7D0092L

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 9, 2020

Shashi Tharoor also posted photos of his birthday dinner and a nostalgic photo with his mother on his birthday with a message in Hindi.

Birthday dinner at the marvellous #HouseOfCeleste at 32nd Avenue in Gurgaon. With the extraordinary Michelin-star Master Chef ⁦@suvirsaran⁩ & Chef de Cuisine Vardaan exercising their culinary charms on my mother! There can't be a better dining experience in the NCR. pic.twitter.com/Vwnno0Z0Z2

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 9, 2020

जीवन की रणभूमि मे, कुछ युद्ध हारा कुछ जीत गया
लेकिन लड़ते-लड़ते माँ, देख, एक साल और बीत गया! https://t.co/A80BPaJ5Ly

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 8, 2020

Shashi Tharoor, one of the most popular Indian politicians on Twitter, is known for an active presence on social media.

Though he has described himself as a strong critic of PM Modi's government, on more than one occasion he has drawn the ire of his colleagues for adopting a less-than-caustic line.

Last August, when he backed party colleague Jairam Ramesh's statement that it was not wise to demonise the Prime Minister on every occasion, he was asked for an explanation by the Congress in Kerala.