Modi's mother watches oath ceremony on TV
Ahmedabad: Sitting in a small room with her family members, 92-year-old Hiraben, Narendra Modi's mother watched her son's coronation on television. Hiraben, who could not attend her son's swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan owing to her health issues, ensured she keeps pace with the developments glued to her TV set. Unperturbed by scores of cameramen and reporters who crowded the room to seek her reaction, Hiraben sat and ardently watched all the Ministers taking oath in the new Cabinet. "He has my blessings and he will lead the country towards development," she said after blessing her son. Hiraben stays with her other son Pankaj Modi in Gandhinagar.
Doctorate chaiwala gets Modi's invite
New Delhi: Shahzad Ibrahimi, a PhD in Urdu from Jawaharlal Nehru University and who runs an eatery in its campus, received the "biggest happiness" of his life on Monday morning. A sealed envelope packed an invite for him to attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi. "A chai-wala has become PM. And he has remembered another chai-wala to witness it. I am overwhelmed. I am so happy. I cannot describe it," he said. The 41-year-old Ibrahimi has been reported numerous times in the media due to his academic credentials -- he has done his MA, M.Phil and then Ph.D from the prestigious university -- and after all that he chose to live in the campus serving tea to students and teachers as he could not let go his love for campus life. His 'Mamu's Dhaba' is a well-known eating joint, famous among students and teachers alike. He got an invite after a leader of RlSP, a BJP ally in Bihar, shared his profile with Modi's office, requesting it for an invite for him. And it was duly delivered. "I hope under Modi, nobody with my academic credentials has to sell tea," he says. A resident of Bihar, Ibrahimi came to Delhi to pursue higher studies, which he did, but could not then find a decent job. His dhaba though is a success.
Free paan distribution in Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur: Dedicating his day's earning to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a betel shop owner in Jamshedpur distributed "Banarasi Paan" free of cost to one and all to celebrate the oath-taking ceremony on Monday. "The paan being distributed is as good as the Paan of Banaras, which the city is famous for world-over," said Khemlal Sahu, who has his shop at main thoroughfare Cable basti chowk Sahu began distributing free Banarasi paan at 7 AM in the morning and would go on till 8PM. Sahu said Modi's record winning margin in the parliamentary polls from Varanasi led him to celebrate the win by distributing free betels. "People have high expectations that he (Modi) will bring an end to problems such as price rise and corruption," said Sahu. He said he has already distributed around 1,200 free paans and plans to distribute a total 3,000 paans. About number of paans he sells daily, Sahu said it was in between 2,000 to 2,500 pieces per day.
Manmohan Singh checks in at new residence
New Delhi: Immediately after Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday shifted to his retirement abode at Motilal Nehru Marg in the heart of the city after staying for 10 years at the official residence of Prime Minister at 7 Race Course Road. The 3 Motilal Nehru Road bungalow was all decked up to welcome its new occupant. The former Prime minister was accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur when he checked into the house after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Modi and his cabinet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.