Cultural Bridge: Uzbek Students Move PM Modi with Recitations of His Early Poetry

TASHKENT – In a poignant display of cross-cultural connection, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visibly moved during his recent visit to Uzbekistan, as university students in Tashkent performed a heartfelt tribute by reciting his own long-forgotten poems.

The emotional moment took place during the Prime Minister’s interaction with students and the academic community at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. To his surprise, the students performed a series of verses that Mr. Modi had penned decades ago, long before he entered the political arena.

The students performed three of the Prime Minister’s works—“Abhi Toh Suraj Uga Hai,” “Naye Bharat Ke Naye Sankalp,” and “Manavta Ko Kahin Na Lag Jaye Daag”—with each poem recited in both Hindi and Uzbek.

Addressing the audience, the Prime Minister reflected on the power of language, expressing his astonishment at how accurately the students captured the spirit of his writing despite Hindi not being their native tongue.

“These poems were written by me a very long time ago,” the Prime Minister noted. “Today, I had the opportunity to hear them recited by these young people. I noticed that although they were speaking in Hindi, they conveyed the emotions exactly as they were in my heart when I originally wrote them. This only becomes possible when you live that language, when you immerse yourself completely in it.”

The performance stood out as a highlight of the Prime Minister’s high-profile visit to the Central Asian nation. The academic engagement underscored a deep cultural affinity that has long existed between the two nations. While Uzbekistan has famously held a decades-long love affair with Bollywood cinema and Indian music, the recitation of PM Modi’s poems signaled a new, intellectual dimension to the bilateral relationship.

The effort involved a collaborative display by students such as Keldiyorov Dilhushbek, Dilshoda Juraboeva, Otabek Amirov, Ikromkhuja Sa’dillaev, Orzu Kuldosheva, and Fayoza Abdurasulova, who navigated the nuances of the Hindi language to bridge the gap between their two cultures.

The cultural celebration continued beyond the classroom. During an informal dinner hosted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the historic Kuksaroy Palace, the Prime Minister was treated to a special musical arrangement based on his poem “Abhi Toh Suraj Uga Hai.”

The poetic reception served as a warm backdrop to a significant diplomatic trip, during which Prime Minister Modi was conferred with the “Order of Oliy Darajali Dustlik,” Uzbekistan’s highest state honour, marking a significant milestone in the strengthening of ties between New Delhi and Tashkent.