New Delhi, Sept. 15 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will turn 75 this week. It's a diamond jubilee for a man who spent his formative years in anonymity, dedicated his middle years to organizational work, and has thereafter been at the zenith of power: from Gandhinagar to New Delhi.

Till a few weeks ago, 17 September was being seen not just as his birthday but also a kind of D-Day in a political suspense thriller. The question was: will Modi resign? Those waiting with bated breath got their answer on 28 August.

On that day, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said, "I never said I will retire or someone else should retire." Returning the favour, the prime minister in an article on 11 September wished Bhagwat on his 75th birthday.

Across the politic...