PM's birthday events set three Guinness world records: Gehlot

Navsari, Sep 17: Three world records were set at two events held to celebrate the 66th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Navsari in south Gujarat, Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said today.

While one record- most persons (989) lighting earthen lamps within 30 seconds- was set last evening, another two feats were achieved today in the presence of Modi, he said.

All the three events were held at the same venue in Navsari. Today's records are: 1,000 differently-abled persons making a formation on wheelchairs at a single venue creating the largest wheelchair logo; and 1,700 deaf persons being distributed 3,400 hearing aid machines at one place.

"We have broken three world records here. The records were made in the presence of representatives of the Guinness World Records," Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, said while addressing people at Navsari in the presence of Modi.

"Yesterday, on the eve of Prime Minister's birthday, 1,002 children tried to light diyas (earthern lamps) within 30 seconds, out of which 989 persons lighted lamps in 30 seconds and made a world record," he said.

Setting another world record, 1,000 differently-abled persons ('divyangs') made a formation on wheelchairs at a single venue and created the largest wheelchair logo.

Earlier, the Guinness World Records had recognised 346 differently- abled persons making wheelchair formation in 2010, he said.

"1,000 persons on wheel-chair dressed in saffron and white clothes, arranged in a formation created a logo 'Happy Birthday PM'.

The Guinness team announced this to be a world record," he said. Third, 1,700 hearing-impaired persons were distributed 3,400 hearing aid machines, and this has also found a place in the world record, Gehlot said.

PTI