VP Naidu turns 72; president among first to wish

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu turned 72 on Thursday and was greeted by friends and well-wishers.

President Ram Nath Kovind was amongst the first ones to greet Naidu.

''Greetings and good wishes to Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu Ji on his birthday. May God bless you with a happy, healthy and long fruitful life dedicated to the service of the nation,'' the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet.

Naidu thanked the president for his wishes, saying ''your words inspire me to redouble my efforts to serve the nation''.

The vice president also thanked his friends and well-wishers.

''Your love and affection inspires me everyday to do better in the service of the nation,'' the Vice President Secretariat said in a tweet, quoting Naidu.

Naidu was born on this day in 1949 in Chavatapalem in Andhra Pradesh.