Modi, my birthday buddy

When I was a child I used to envy people who shared their birthdays with famous people. My best friend was always flexing about being born on October 11, which is, of course, Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday. Then there was my aunt who taught English, and so was very chuffed to be sharing birthday with William Shakespeare. My mum, whose life’s motto was ‘I want to Break Free’, was born on the September 5, the same date as Freddy Mercury.

- ANUJA CHAUHAN

I sulked mildly about not having a famous birthday fellow (or 'hum-buddae', as in humsafar or humraaz) for the longest time, till I realised, around the mid-2010s, that I had won the lottery as far as 'hum-buddaes' were concerned, because my birthday is on September 17, now being celebrated all over India as Vishwakarma Puja, as well as Narendra Modi's happy birthday.

It has become a fortnight-long celebration, stretching all the way from September 17 to Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on October 2, neatly underlining the parity in their stature. All sort of policies and drives are unveiled—health camps for women, children and the elderly, blood donation drives, and sports festivals.