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Pranab Da, you have been a father figure to me': PM Modi's heartfelt letter to former President

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 03, Aug 2017, 17:29 pm IST | UPDATED: 04, Aug 2017, 9:04 am IST

Pranab Da, you have been a father figure to me': PM Modi's heartfelt letter to former President New Delhi: In a testimony to the harmonious relationship that Pranab Mukherjee and Narendra Modi shared during three years of working together, the Prime Minister, in a farewell letter to the former President, termed him a “father figure and a mentor” whose wisdom and guidance gave him “greater confidence and strength.”

Mukherjee said the letter which he received on his last day in office touched his heart. The letter was today shared by the former president on Twitter today. "On my last day in office as the President, I received a letter from PM @narendramodi that touched my heart! Sharing with you all," Mukherjee said in a tweet.

The letter spells out the bond between the two leaders who come from different political ideologies.

“Three years ago, I came to New Delhi as an outsider. The task before me was huge and challenging. In these times, you have always been a father figure and a mentor to me. Your wisdom, guidance and personal warmth have given me greater confidence and strength,” read the letter.  

“You have been so warm, affectionate and caring to me. Your one phone call asking me ‘I hope you are taking care of your health’ was enough to fill me with fresh energy, after a long day of meetings or on a campaign tour,” wrote the PM.

PM Modi also wrote that despite being shaped by different political ideologies, the two of them “were able to work together with synergy”. He talked of Mukherjee's "intellectual prowess" and his deep "insights on various subjects" helping the government and him personally.

He also said that for Pranab Mukherjee “politics was simple a means to selflessly give back to society" by placing the "well being of the nation over everything else.”

Thanking Mukherjee for his support, encouragement, guidance and inspiration, PM Modi said his legacy would continue to guide India.

As soon as Mukherjee, touched with the PM’s letter, shared it on Twitter, the Prime Minister tweeted from his personal account  attaching it and said: : “Pranab Da, I will always cherish working with you”.

The letter offers glimpses of the Prime Minister’s deep respect for Mukherjee, who was one of the senior-most leaders of Modi’s arch-rival party, the Congress, before he became President in 2012.

“Pranab da, our political journeys took shape in different political parties. Our ideologies, at times, have been different. Our experiences are also varied. My administrative experience was from my state, whereas you have seen the expanse of our national polity and politics for decades...”

“Yet, such is the strength of your intellect and wisdom that we were able to work together with synergy,” the PM said in his letter.

Mukherjee retired as President last month.

During one of his farewell speeches earlier, Mukherjee had said that there were differences between the PM and him but it never affected the functioning of the government.

Modi showered praise on Mukherjee, describing him as a father-figure whose legacy will continue to guide him. “We will continue to draw strength from your democratic vision of taking everyone along,” said Modi, a leader often criticised by rivals for taking unilateral decisions.

The PM said Mukherjee opened “the Rashtrapati Bhavan to initiatives and programmes that recognized innovation and the talent of India’s youth” as an example of him placing the wellbeing of the nation over everything else.

Mukherjee told recently that his personal equation with Modi remains very good and will continue to remain like that.

The message echoed what he had written in the letter.

The PM said Mukherjee was a repository of knowledge. “I have always marvelled at your insights on various subjects, ranging from policy to politics, economics to external affairs, and security issues to subjects of national and global importance. Your intellectual prowess has constantly helped my government and me.”
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