Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a moving tribute to his mother Heeraben Modi who died in the early hours of Friday, December 30, at the age of 99. “A glorious century rests at the feet of God… In Maa I have always felt that trinity, which contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values,” the Prime Minister tweeted this morning informing his mother’s death.
Sharing a photo of her, he recalled what she told him when he met her on her 100th birthday in June.
“When I met her on her 100th birthday, she said one thing, which is always remembered that work with intelligence, live life with purity, that is, work with intelligence and live life with purity,” said the Prime Minister who attended her last rites in Gandhinagar.
The UN Mehta hospital in Ahmedabad where she was admitted on Tuesday night said in a statement that she died at 3.30 am. Her body was later taken to Gandhinagar.
Heeraben used to live with Pankaj Modi, the Prime Minister’s younger brother, at Raysan village near Gandhinagar. PM Modi used to visit her during most of his trips to Gujarat.
Heeraben was born on June 18, 1923, in an ordinary family in Gujarat’s Visanagar as Heeraben Damodardas Modi. She lost her mother at an early age and her growing-up years were full of struggles.
Heeraben after marriage lived in a tiny house in Vadnagar with her family, including her husband, Prime Minister Modi and his five siblings.
To help with the family’s income, she would wash utensils at a few homes and also spun the charkha.
In an emotional blog post earlier on Heeraben’s 99th birthday, Prime Minister Modi said she has always led a simple life and has no assets in her name. Heeraben was a dutiful citizen and despite her age she was often seen casting her vote on the day of elections. She was also famously seen joining the queue outside a bank when the Prime Minister had declared demonetisation in the country in 2016.
Even during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was some hesitation among many regarding vaccinations, Heeraben set an example by taking the vaccine.
Condolences started pouring in from across the world after the demise of the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was one of the first world leaders to offer condolences to PM Narendra Modi over the passing away of his mother, Heeraben Modi.
Mr Kishida tweeted, “PM Modi @narendramodi, I would like to express my deepest condolences for the passing of your beloved mother. May her soul rest in peace.”
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ also expressed sadness over the death of PM Modi’s mother.
In a tweet, Nepal PM stated, “I’m deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Smt. Heeraba Modi, loving mother of Prime Minister @PMOIndia At this hour of grief, I express heartfelt condolences to PM Modi ji and the family members and pray for eternal peace of the departed soul.”
Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa condoled the death of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother. He tweeted, “Deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Smt. Heeraben Modi. My heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi ji on the loss of his beloved mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with the PM and his family in this hour of grief.”
Former Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed condolences over the passing away of Heeraben He tweeted, “My heartfelt condolences to Shri @narendramodi ji and his family at the passing away of his venerable Mother Heeraben Modi. May her eternal soul attain Moksha.”
Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov offered condolences to PM Modi over the death of his mother. He tweeted, “My heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji on the biggest loss. My heart breaks for you Om Shanti.”
German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann tweeted, “Deepest and sincere condolences to honorable Prime Minister @narendramodi. We join him and his family in mourning their loss.”
United States President Joe Biden on Saturday offered “heartfelt” condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his mother’s demise. “Jill and I send our deepest and heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi on the loss of his mother, Heeraben Modi. Our prayers are with the Prime Minister and his family at this difficult time,” Biden’s tweet read.
Apart from Biden, several other global leaders also sent their condolences after PM Modi’s mother passed away in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad.
“There is no greater loss than losing one’s mother,” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted adding “my condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi on the passing away of his mother”.
“Saddened to hear the news about Indian PM @narendramodi’s mother, Hiraben Modi, passing away. My thoughts and prayers are with PM Modi and his family during this time of mourning,” Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih tweeted.
West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to say, “Condolences to PM Narendra Modi on the passing away of his mother, Heeraben Modi. I pray that her soul rests in peace. In this hour of grief, I hope that he and his family members find strength.”
Former vice president Venkaiah Naidu tweeted: “My deepest condolences to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi on the sad demise of his beloved mother, Smt. Heeraben Modi.”
“I am deeply pained by the passing away of Hira Ba, mother of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi. The death of a mother leaves such a void in one’s life that is impossible to fill. I express my condolences to the Prime Minister and his entire family in this hour of grief. Om Shanti!” Rajnath Singh said in a tweet in Hindi.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said,”Extremely saddened by the news of the demise of Mrs. Heeraben, mother of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. My deepest condolences to his entire family. May nature give him and all his loved ones the strength to bear this loss.”
