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Old photos of Manmohan Singh meeting childhood friend from Pakistan resurface

Dec 28, 2024 11:35 AM IST

Raja Mohammad Ali, a childhood acquaintance of Manmohan Singh, came from Pakistan to Delhi in 2008 to reconnect with Manmohan Singh. 

Manmohan Singh, India’s former prime minister, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. Among the many heartfelt stories about his life, one stood out—his emotional reunion in 2008 with Raja Mohammad Ali, a childhood friend from Pakistan.

On May 30, 2008, Mr. Raja Mohammad Ali, a boyhood buddy from Pakistan's Gah village, met with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.(PMO archive)
On May 30, 2008, Mr. Raja Mohammad Ali, a boyhood buddy from Pakistan's Gah village, met with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.(PMO archive)

Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, a village in undivided India’s Punjab (now in Pakistan), Manmohan Singh’s life was deeply impacted by the Partition of 1947, which forced his family to migrate to India, leaving behind their home and friends.

When Singh became PM in 2004, the news reached his native village, prompting his old schoolmate, Raja Mohammad Ali, to reconnect. The two had been close friends in their early years, attending the same primary school, where Ali affectionately called him ‘Mohna'.

In May 2008, the two septuagenarians met again in Delhi after decades of separation. Their reunion was marked by warm embraces, shared memories, and the exchange of meaningful gifts, rekindling a friendship that had transcended time and borders.

Also read: PU holds condolence meet, pays tribute to Dr Manmohan Singh

Gestures made after reconciliation

Ali gave Singh a picture of Gah and brought mitti and pani (earth and water) from their ancestral village. The Indian prime minister gave Ali a Titan watch set, a scarf, and a turban in exchange, India Today reported.

Also read: ‘Utter rubbish…’: Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha slams Congress amid Manmohan Singh memorial row

Manmohan Singh's lasting influence is demonstrated by tributes from all political parties as the country grieves his departure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled him as a "distinguished leader" whose humility and wisdom were clear in their exchanges. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Congress MPs, hailed the senior leader's egalitarian spirit and unwavering bravery, calling him a "mentor and guide."

Mr. Raja Mohammad Ali, a boyhood friend from Gah village in Pakistan, meets with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on May 30, 2008.(PMO archive)
Mr. Raja Mohammad Ali, a boyhood friend from Gah village in Pakistan, meets with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on May 30, 2008.(PMO archive)

Singh was the first Sikh prime minister of India and the first leader to be re-elected after serving a full term, after Jawaharlal Nehru. His imaginative and modest leadership continues to be a pillar of contemporary Indian history.

Singh's faith in humanity's ability to transcend boundaries is demonstrated by the picture of a Titan watch being traded between two childhood friends from different sides of a divided country.

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