The September 17 celebrations bring together events in Modi’s birthplace Vadnagar and parliamentary constituency Varanasi. In addition, a month-long wide outreach programme has also been planned to begin from his birthday in 2026.
The BJP’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan began on September 17, 2026, and will continue until October 17. The campaign has been organised around PM Modi birthday 2026 and the 25-year milestone since he became Gujarat chief minister on October 7, 2001. One of its major programmes is a pair of bike yatras starting from Vadnagar in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The journeys are scheduled to cover 10 states and conclude on October 7.
Quick takeaways
- The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan will run from September 17 to October 17, 2026.
- The campaign marks PM Modi’s 76th birthday and 25 years since he became Gujarat chief minister.
- Twin bike yatras have started from Vadnagar and Varanasi.
- The yatras are planned to cover 10 states, 193 districts, 773 tehsils and 1,159 villages.
- The journeys are expected to cover around 40,000 km and conclude on October 7.
- The wider campaign includes blood donation camps, cleanliness drives, public outreach and the Ashirwad Ka Diya programme.
What is Seva Sankalp Abhiyan?
The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is a month-long BJP programme running from September 17 to October 17. It has been organised around PM Modi birthday and the 25-year milestone since he became Gujarat chief minister.
According to the programme announced by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, September 17 is being observed as Seva Diwas, with blood donation camps and other service-related activities.
The wider campaign includes cleanliness drives, public meetings, welfare outreach and programmes involving different sections of society. Activities are scheduled to continue through October 17.
The 25-year milestone relates specifically to October 7, 2001, when Modi became chief minister of Gujarat. October 7, 2026, therefore marks 25 years since he first assumed the post.
What is planned for PM Modi’s 76th birthday?
A major feature of the PM Modi birthday 2026 programme is the twin bike yatra linking Vadnagar and Varanasi.
Vadnagar in Gujarat is Modi’s birthplace, while Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is the Lok Sabha constituency he represents. The two cities have been selected as the starting points for parallel journeys under the Seva Sankalp programme.
In Vadnagar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel are scheduled to participate in programmes linked to the launch. The bike journey from Vadnagar is headed towards Varanasi.
In Varanasi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are scheduled to flag off the journey towards Vadnagar.
Participants in Varanasi are also scheduled to collect Ganga water from Lalita Ghat and visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple before the bike yatra begins.
PM Modi inaugurates Semicon India 2026 on his Birthday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently inaugurating Semicon India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi on his 76th birthday today, September 17. The Prime Minister is addressing the event, which brings together participants from India and across the global semiconductor industry.
The programme focuses on India’s semiconductor ecosystem, including manufacturing, technology and opportunities in the sector. The live event is among PM Modi’s official engagements on his birthday, as the country continues to expand its semiconductor capabilities.
What are the Vadnagar-Varanasi bike yatras?
The BJP has planned two parallel bike journeys, with one beginning in Vadnagar and the other in Varanasi. The journeys will travel in opposite directions and are scheduled to meet as part of the programme marking the 25-year milestone.
The bike yatras are separate from the overall duration of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan. While the wider campaign will continue until October 17, the bike journeys are scheduled to conclude on October 7, 2026.
The yatras are expected to involve more than 1,000 young participants. Along their routes, participants will take part in activities connected with the wider Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
How far will the bike yatras travel?
The twin bike yatras are planned across 10 states, covering 193 districts, 773 tehsils and 1,159 villages.
The combined route is expected to cover around 40,000 km.
The journeys will begin from Vadnagar and Varanasi and move towards the opposite destinations. The routes will pass through several parts of the country, with participants taking part in outreach and service-related activities during the journey.
The geographical scale of the programme is intended to connect the two locations associated with different stages of Modi’s public life — his birthplace in Gujarat and his parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Why are Vadnagar and Varanasi important?
Vadnagar and Varanasi form the central geographical link of the bike yatra programme.
Vadnagar in Gujarat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthplace. Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is the Lok Sabha constituency he represents.
The BJP has therefore chosen these two cities as the starting points for the parallel journeys. The routes also form part of the wider programme marking 25 years since Modi became Gujarat chief minister.
The political milestone dates back to October 7, 2001, when Modi took oath as Gujarat chief minister. He remained in the post until May 2014, when he became Prime Minister of India.
What is Ashirwad Ka Diya?
The Ashirwad Ka Diya programme is another part of the September 17 celebrations.
The BJP has appealed to people, particularly beneficiaries of government schemes, to light a diya at their homes between 6 pm and 7 pm on September 17.
BJP president Nitin Nabin made the appeal ahead of Modi’s birthday. The programme forms part of the wider Seva Sankalp Abhiyan and is being presented by the party as an expression of good wishes for the Prime Minister.
What other activities are planned?
The month-long campaign extends beyond the birthday programmes on September 17.
The BJP has announced blood donation drives, cleanliness campaigns, public meetings, welfare outreach and activities involving young people.
A nationwide cleanliness campaign is scheduled for October 2.
Other programmes will continue until October 17, when the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is scheduled to conclude.
The campaign also includes activities related to government welfare schemes and programmes aimed at providing information about public initiatives.
Exhibitions and other events documenting different phases of Modi’s public life are also among the activities planned during the campaign.
When will the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan end?
The wider Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is scheduled to continue until October 17, 2026.
The Vadnagar-Varanasi bike yatras, however, are scheduled to conclude earlier, on October 7, marking 25 years since Modi became Gujarat chief minister.
This distinction separates the two timelines within the programme: the bike journeys form one part of the broader month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, which continues for another 10 days after the yatra concludes.
Also read: How India compares with Pix and PromptPay; UPI merchant charges explained
