New Delhi, October 20 (). Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with the brave soldiers of the Indian Navy on Monday. He reached the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, deployed off the coast of Goa, where he saluted the soldiers ready to protect the country.
The Prime Minister praised the indomitable courage and dedication of the soldiers and also gave the message that the country never forgets their efforts.
This is not the first time that he celebrated the festival with the soldiers. In nearly two and a half decades, he has shared the joy of the festival with the soldiers many times. Every year since 2014, he has been celebrating Diwali with the soldiers deployed on the country’s borders. This tradition started in Gujarat, when Narendra Modi, as Chief Minister, decided to celebrate Diwali with the people living in the areas affected by the 2001 earthquake in Kutch. In 2009, he visited the Nathu La border and greeted the soldiers and wrote, “India is proud of you. Your duty is not just service, it is sadhana and penance.” He always maintained this message during his tenure.
The X handle of Modi Archive shared pictures of PM Modi’s Diwali celebrations so far. In 2014, Prime Minister Modi celebrated the Diwali of his first term at the Siachen Glacier, where soldiers perform their duty in harsh conditions every day. His visit was to convey the message that the nation’s gratitude reaches the hardest of places.
In 2015 he visited the war memorial of Dograi (Punjab) and paid tribute to the soldiers martyred in the 1965 war. The following year in 2016, M Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Somdu and Chango in Himachal Pradesh and discussed welfare schemes like One Rank One Pension.
In 2017, soldiers welcomed the Prime Minister in Gurez Valley (Jammu and Kashmir). Giving a personal message, he said that just as everyone celebrates Diwali with their families, similarly I am also here with my family. In 2018 he met soldiers in Harsil and Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and honored their service under difficult conditions.
In 2019, he honored soldiers on the occasion of Infantry Day in Rajouri and Pathankot. Despite the pandemic in 2020, he celebrated Diwali by visiting Longewala in Rajasthan, an area associated with the bravery of the 1971 war. Understanding the difficulties of the soldiers, he had said, “If we find it inconvenient to wear masks, then how much difficulty would the soldiers face in wearing heavy protective equipment.”
He celebrated Diwali in Nowshera (Jammu and Kashmir) in 2021 and Kargil in 2022, calling soldiers part of the family and urging countrymen to light lamps for their courage and dedication. Celebrating Diwali in the Lepcha region of Himachal Pradesh in 2023, Prime Minister Modi mentioned women power and the progress made in defense exports.
In 2024, he visited Kutch, Gujarat, where he fed sweets to BSF, Army, Navy and Air Force personnel and boosted their morale. Thus, this tradition of Prime Minister Modi not only recognizes the courage of the soldiers, but also connects the citizens with the challenges and bravery of the country’s borders.
This Diwali visit of Prime Minister Modi sent a clear message that India always remembers the service and dedication of its soldiers. This permanent association of theirs also reminds the countrymen that the light of every lamp reaches not only the homes but also the brave soldiers who are deployed day and night to guard the borders of India.
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