While speaking at the joint session of the US Congress on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and the US' "trusted partnership is like a sun in this new dawn that spread light all around". He was then "reminded" of a poem he "had once written". PM Modi then took the opportunity to share it with the members of the US Congress.

He started with a poem written by American poet Amanda Gorman, saying, "We stand at a new dawn in our (India-US) relationship, that we will not only shape the destiny of the two nation, but also that of the world."

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Following this, PM Modi started reciting his own poem.

"Here's a poem I once wrote:

Aasman me sir utha kar,

Ghane badalon ko cheer kar,

Roshni ka sankalp len,

Abhi to Suraj uga hai,

Dradh nishchay ke sath chalkar,

Harr mushkil ko paar kar, ghor andhere ko mitade,

Ghor andhere ko mitane, abhi to suraj uga hai"

He also translated it in English:

"Rising his head in the skies,

Piercing through the dense clouds with the promise of light,

the sun has just risen, armed with a deep resolve,

Overcoming all the odds to dispel the forces of darkness,

The sun has just risen"

Watch PM Modi reciting the poem at 46:00 minutes in the video shared below:

Addressing leader at the US Congress, PM Modi said, "We come from different circumstances and history but we are united by a common vision and by a common destiny.

"When our partnership progress, the economic resilience increases, innovation grows, science flourishes, knowledge advances, humanity benefits, our seas and skies are safer, our democracy will shine brighter and the world will be a better space. That is the mission of our partnership, that's the calling of a century," PM Modi said.

Top American lawmakers applauded Prime Minister Modi for his address to the Joint Meeting of the US Congress that called for deepening the strong friendship between the two democracies, fostered by a range of close economic ties and expanded cooperation in areas like defence, trade and technology.

Representing 1.4 billion Indians, PM Modi who addressed the US Congress on Thursday, said it is always a great honour and an exceptional privilege to address the US Congress twice. This is the second time that the prime minister has addressed the US Congress, the first time being in 2016.

PM Modi is on a three-day US state visit. He has so far attended meetings with CEOs of top companies, scientists, think tank experts and business leaders; held a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden; and attended a lavish State dinner.

(With inputs from PTI)

First Published:Jun 23, 2023 2:01 PM IST