PM Modi breaks Indira Gandhi’s record with 12th consecutive Independence Day speech from Red Fort
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday set a new milestone by delivering his 12th consecutive Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, surpassing the record held by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This places him second only to Jawaharlal Nehru, who addressed the nation 17 times in a row from the historic ramparts.
Indira Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister between 1966–1977 and 1980–1984, delivered a total of 16 Independence Day addresses, 11 of which were consecutive. Nehru, India’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister, addressed the nation 17 times consecutively. Lal Bahadur Shastri delivered Independence Day speeches twice in 1964 and 1965, while Morarji Desai addressed the nation twice after the Emergency period. Chaudhary Charan Singh spoke once in 1979, and Rajiv Gandhi delivered five addresses following Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
Other Prime Ministers also contributed to this tradition. VP Singh addressed the nation in 1990, PV Narasimha Rao delivered four consecutive speeches from 1991 to 1995, and HD Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral addressed the nation once in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Atal Bihari Vajpayee delivered six Independence Day speeches between 1998 and 2004, while Manmohan Singh addressed the nation for ten years, from 2004 to 2014.
PM Modi had already broken Dr Manmohan Singh’s record last year by hoisting the national flag from the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive year. His 2024 address also became the longest-ever Independence Day speech by a Prime Minister, clocking 98 minutes.
Modi’s speeches on August 15 typically focus on the nation’s progress and pressing contemporary issues. He often uses the platform to announce new policy initiatives or schemes. In his 2024 address, he advocated for a “secular” civil code to replace the current framework, which he described as “communal” and promoting “discrimination,” and also pitched for simultaneous elections in the country.
- With inputs from agencies
