- Monday, April 28, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Heeraben Modi, the mother of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi who was admitted in a hospital in Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat earlier this week after her health condition deteriorated, passed away on Friday (30).
She was 99.
Modi, who reached Ahmedabad and performed his mother’s last rites, posted a heartfelt tweet in Hindi early on Friday morning with a picture of Heeraben, saying, “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.”
शानदार शताब्दी का ईश्वर चरणों में विराम… मां में मैंने हमेशा उस त्रिमूर्ति की अनुभूति की है, जिसमें एक तपस्वी की यात्रा, निष्काम कर्मयोगी का प्रतीक और मूल्यों के प्रति प्रतिबद्ध जीवन समाहित रहा है। pic.twitter.com/yE5xwRogJi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
He also reflected on his visit to his late mother on her 100th birthday in June this year.
“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,” the prime minister posted another tweet in Hindi.
मैं जब उनसे 100वें जन्मदिन पर मिला तो उन्होंने एक बात कही थी, जो हमेशा याद रहती है कि કામ કરો બુદ્ધિથી, જીવન જીવો શુદ્ધિથી यानि काम करो बुद्धि से और जीवन जियो शुद्धि से।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
Modi was received at the airport in Ahmedabad by Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel. Other family members of Modi, including his elder brother Somabhai Modi, were at the residence of Heeraben. Some of the state’s top leaders and ministers and lawmakers were also present.
The prime minister was scheduled to visit the eastern state of West Bengal to launch some developmental projects during the day, including the country’s seventh semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express train but he might now join the events through video-conferencing, sources said.
“The flagging off of Vande Bharat train in Howrah, Kolkata and other developmental works of railways and under Namami Gange and meeting of National Ganga Council to be held as per plan. PM Modi may join through Video Conference,” sources said.
Several leaders and ministers expressed their condolences over the demise of Modi’s mother.
Indian president Droupadi Murmu condoled the death of Heeraben and called the latter’s life “a symbol of Indian ideals”.
She tweeted in Hindi, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mother Heeraba’s hundred years of struggling life is a symbol of Indian ideals. Shri Modi imbibed the spirit of ‘ #मातृदेवोभव ‘ and the values of Hiraba in his life. I pray for the peace of the holy soul. My condolences to the family!”
प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी की मां हीराबा का सौ वर्षों का संघर्षपूर्ण जीवन भारतीय आदर्शों का प्रतीक है। श्री मोदी ने '#मातृदेवोभव' की भावना और हीराबा के मूल्यों को अपने जीवन में ढाला। मैं पुण्यात्मा की शांति के लिए प्रार्थना करती हूं। परिवार के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं!
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 30, 2022
Defence minister Rajnath Singh expressed grief and highlighted the value of a mother in one’s life and said that its void is “impossible to fill”.
“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!” he tweeted in Hindi.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi की माताश्री, हीरा बा के निधन से मुझे गहरी वेदना हुई है। एक माँ का निधन किसी भी व्यक्ति के जीवन में ऐसी शून्यता लाता है, जिसकी भरपाई असंभव है। दुख की इस घड़ी में प्रधानमंत्रीजी और उनके पूरे परिवार के प्रति मैं अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूँ। ॐ शांति!
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 30, 2022
Gujarat CM Patel also condoled Heeraben’s death and said that she was the epitome of simplicity and high values of life.
“Deeply saddened by the passing away of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi’s mother Pujya Hiraba. Pujya Hiraba was an epitome of generosity, simplicity, hard work and high values of life. I pray that God rest her soul in peace. AUM Shanti,” Patel tweeted, roughly translated from Gujarati.
Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently wished Modi’s ailing mother a speedy recovery, tweeted in Hindi, “The news of the demise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother, Mrs. Hira Ba is extremely sad. At this difficult time, I extend my deepest condolences and love to him and his family.”
प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी की माताजी, श्रीमती हीरा बा के निधन का समाचार अत्यंत दुःखद है।
इस मुश्किल समय में, मैं उन्हें और उनके परिजनों को अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं और प्यार व्यक्त करता हूं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2022
Modi met his mother earlier this month while campaigning for the state elections that his Bharatiya Janata Party won with a landslide mandate. Heeraben also cast her vote during the two-phase election.
Modi paid floral tributes to his mother at her residence and carried the bier with the mortal remains to the crematorium for the last rites.
[With agency inputs]
