Modi keeps his promise with shortest I-Day speech in 4 yrs

Speaking for 57 minutes, it was his shortest I-Day address

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, PM, Modi, Independence Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)
Press Trust of India New Delhi
2 min read Last Updated : Dec 04 2019 | 7:06 PM IST
Having made a record of delivering the longest Independence Day speech last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his shortest speech from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort this year.

Modi spoke for 57 minutes, his shortest Independence Day speech in four years.

Last year, he had spoken for 96 minutes, the longest ever Independence Day address by an Indian Prime Minister.

Also Read

India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke for 72 minutes in 1947 which was till 2015 the longest ever speech from the Red Fort.

In his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' last month, Modi said he had received letters from people complaining that his Independence Day speeches were "a little too long" and promised to make a shorter speech.

He spoke for over 65 minutes in 2014 and 86 minutes in 2015.

Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh, who delivered 10 speeches over his long tenure at the helm, stuck to the 50- minute mark in his Independence Day speeches.

While he delivered speeches that lasted 50 minutes only on two occasions -- 2005 and 2006, during remaining eight years, his speech ranged from 32 to 45 minutes.

Modi's party colleague and the first BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke for 30-35 minutes in his Independence Day addresses.

On August 2002, he delivered a speech that lasted 25 minutes, while in 2003 he gave a 30-minute address from the historic 17th-century Mughal monument.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Independence DayNarendra Modi

First Published: Aug 15 2017 | 4:16 PM IST

Next Story