Delhi Govt Schools Asked to Mark Modi’s Birthday with Grand Diya Lighting on Campus, Teacher Visits to Topper Homes
Aparna Kalra | 16 September 2026 | The Wire
New Delhi: At least 75 government schools, designated CM Shri schools in the national capital, have been directed to light diyas on campus, and their teachers have been asked to visit Class 10 toppers’ homes with diyas and blessings, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17.
Schools have been instructed that they must record videos and upload footage of all the activities and events onto Google Drives. Material for the celebration has been distributed from Chhatrasal Stadium, and reached schools.
Diya, cotton, oil distribution to schools, particularly 75 CM Shri schools, has already taken place from Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi for ‘Aashirvaad ka diya’ on September 17, Prime Minister Modi’s birthday
Month-long birthday celebrations under Seva Sankalp Utsav from September 17 to October 17, which include speech and drawing competitions and a reel-making competition
All this comes bang in the middle of mid-term exams
An official memo by the assistant director of education (physical education and national integration), in the directorate of education in Delhi, accessed by The Wire, says: “Diya material will be provided only to CM Shri schools as per the prescribed arrangements. All other schools shall arrange the diya material at their own level for the Class X topper students.”
The memo lays down activities mandated for schools in the month following September 17, termed Seva Sankalp Utsav by the ruling BJP. These include speech, drawing and reel-making competitions. It is not clear from the communication if only government schools called CM Shri have to undertake these activities, or all government schools in the capital. The activities are to be recorded and uploaded.