Date:21/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/21/stories/2005042112500400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Blood donations mark TDP supremo's birthday

taff Reporter

Over 400 men and some women donate blood for children suffering from thalassemia. About 40 children present in NTR Trust Bhavan where the camp was organised wish Mr. Naidu.

Greetings divine:The Telugu Desam president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, being blessed by priests on his 55th birthday at his residence in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Photo: Satish H.

HYDERABAD.: The Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said that he never wanted to celebrate his birthday. But most of the day, at his residence first and then at NTR Trust Bhavan, the party headquarters, he was receiving a steady stream of people greeting him, flashing a smile as the flashbulbs popped every time an admirer shook his hands and stood beside him.

Since early in the morning, most senior leaders called on Mr. Naidu at his Jubilee Hills residence with bouquets and wished him on his 55th birthday.

Enthusiastic supporters who came with a massive one square metre cake were disappointed as their leader politely refused to blow candles and cut it. Mr. Naidu, however, maintained in response to a question that he was not celebrating the day at all.