new delhi prime minister narendra modi was at the centre of attention today at the at home function hosted by president pranab mukherjee on the occasion of the 68th independence day here a relaxed modi broke the security cordon and freely mingled with the guests and exchanged greetings it was a maiden at home for 63yearold modi with folded hands modi was seen receiving compliments from the invitees for his first independence day speech from the ramparts of the red fort as several invitees made a beeline seeking his autograph invitation cards its envelopes small pieces of notepad and even paper napkins were used by people who had gathered in the sprawling lawns of mughal garden to get an autograph of the prime ministerpresident pranab mukherjee with prime minister narendra modi during the presidents at home on the occasion 68th independence day celebration at rashtrapati bhavan on august 15 2014 toi photo by yogesh kumar modi responded to the compliments from the assembled guests by saying that everyone has to work for development of the country and that he requires everyones support to achieve that goal an enthusiastic tv journalist made attempts to speak to the prime minister but he only responded with a smile modi returned to the vvip enclosure and was seated facing congress president sonia gandhi there was no exchange of greetings between the twofrom left prime minister narendra modi congress leader ghulam nabi azad and home minister rajnath singh at presidents at home at rashtrapati bhavan on august 15 2014 toi photo by yogesh kumar gandhi was seen having a chitchat with senior bjp leader lk advani who was seated next to her in the vvip enclosure the enclosure saw some changes this year with vice president hamid ansaris seat being shifted to the row opposite to the president former prime minister manmohan singh with his wife gursharan kaur chief justice of india rm lodha home minister rajnath singh finance minister arun jaitley lok sabha speaker sumitra mahajan and leader of opposition in rajya sabha ghulam nabi azad were among others present in the vvip enclosure the president took a round outside the vvip enclosure and met people besides taking a round of the corner where diplomats from various countries were having their tea and snacks there was no separate enclosure for cabinet ministers or diplomatic corps this time at the function which saw a gathering of nearly 1500 people