Congress MP Shashi Tharoor acknowledged a grammatical error in his birthday greeting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi after an X user pointed it out. Tharoor had written “in his 76th birthday” instead of the grammatically correct “on his 76th birthday.” Responding the following day, Tharoor admitted the mistake, saying that “on” his birthday had become “in” and adding that such errors “happen all the time alas.” The exchange attracted attention because Tharoor is known for his command of English and extensive vocabulary, but his response was a straightforward acknowledgment of the slip rather than a defensive reply.
The episode also comes after criticism Tharoor faced over his use of the word “drama” in a post about the devastating flash floods in Nepal. After social media users questioned the choice of wording in the context of deaths and people reported missing, Tharoor clarified that he had used “drama” to describe a situation involving intensely clashing forces, rather than in the theatrical sense. At the same time, he acknowledged that the word could easily be misinterpreted and said he regretted using a term that could cause such confusion.
