PM Narendra Modi Becomes Pune’s Most Visited Prime Minister
Pune, 1 August 2023: In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first leader to visit Pune on five separate occasions during his nine-year reign from 2014 to 2023. This historical achievement surpasses the previous records set by Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, who visited the city four times, three times, and twice, respectively.
During his earlier visits, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had dedicated the National Defence Academy (NDA) and National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) to the nation in 1957 and 1958, respectively. He had also extended his support to the flood-affected citizens during the Panshet floods in 1961.
Indira Gandhi’s visit to Pune in 1974 was significant as she was honored with a doctorate by Pune University. Morarji Desai, who served as Prime Minister during the Janata Party’s reign, also visited Pune during his term.
Rajiv Gandhi, known for his clean image, visited Pune twice during his tenure. His visits in 1987 and 1988 were marked by addressing gatherings at Congress Bhavan and Nehru Stadium, receiving an enthusiastic response from the youth.
Other Prime Ministers, such as PV Narasimha Rao and Atal Behari Vajpayee, also visited Pune and participated in various public events, including the dedication of essential facilities to the people.
Modi’s most recent visits to Pune included announcements of crucial projects like the Smart City project in 2016 and the ground-breaking ceremony of the Pune Metro project. On March 6, 2023, he dedicated the Vanaz to Ramwadi and Pimpri Chinchwad to Fugewadi stretches to the public.
