Modi to become 3rd PM to deliver 11 I-Day speeches
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to deliver his 11th consecutive Independence Day address on August 15 (Thursday). This will be his first speech since being re-elected for a record-equaling third term in office. With this address, PM Modi will become the third Indian Prime Minister, after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, to deliver 11 consecutive Independence Day speeches from the Red Fort.
Modi's 11th address surpasses Manmohan Singh's tally
This year's address will see PM Modi surpassing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tally of 10 Independence Day speeches. India's first PM, Nehru holds the record for delivering 17 straight Independence Day speeches. Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and then from January 1980 to October 1984, addressed the nation 16 times in total and made 11 consecutive speeches.
Modi's I-Day speeches noted for their length
PM Modi's Independence Day speeches have been noted for their length. Averaging at 82 minutes per speech, they are longer than any other Prime Minister in India's history. The closest competitor is former PM IK Gujral whose lone speech in 1997 lasted for 71 minutes. The length of PM Modi's speeches has varied from a shortest of 55 minutes in 2017 to a longest of 94 minutes in 2016.
Modi's first I-Day speech in 2014
PM Modi's first Independence Day speech was in 2014 when he announced new programs such as Swachh Bharat and Jan Dhan accounts. Since then, he has used this platform to make various key announcements. Notably, in addition to his speeches, PM Modi's turbans have also attracted attention over the years. He has been wearing vibrant turbans on each Independence Day since 2014.
