Reunited after 21 years, PM Modi’s emotional meeting with Army officer from Gujarat’s Sainik School

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strong speech for the Indian Army soldiers in Kargil, where he will be celebrating Diwali today with the troops. Little did he know, the prime minister was in for an unexpected and emotional surprise during his Kargil visit.

It was an emotional reunion of a kind in Kargil when a young Army officer presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 2001 picture of him with the then Gujarat chief minister during his visit to the Sainik School where he studied.

Major Amit, officials said, had met Modi at the Sainik School in Balachadi in Gujarat. Modi had visited the school soon after taking over as the state's chief minister in October. "Today they met again in Kargil and it was a very emotional meeting," an official said.

The picture shows Amit and another student receiving a shield from PM Narendra Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time.

The prime minister celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Kargil, following his custom of spending time with armed forces personnel on this festival every year since he became prime minister in 2014.

During his address to the Indian Army soldiers in Kargil this morning, PM Modi talked about how war has always been the last option for his government, and how the armed forces are reducing their reliance on foreign weapon systems and equipment.

While addressing the Indian Army in Kargil, PM Modi said, “We've never viewed war as the first option...Be it the war in Lanka or Kurukshetra, we tried till last to postpone it. We're against war but peace can't be there without strength. If anyone dares to look at us with evil eyes, our armed forces will give a befitting reply.”

(With PTI inputs)

READ | ‘If anyone dares cast an evil eye on us…’: PM Modi’s strong message to Kargil soldiers on Diwali 2022