Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Swami Atmasthananda (in bed) in Kolkata on Saturday.
On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Swami Atmasthananda, the ailing Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission president, at a hospital run by the order.
The Prime Minister's association with the mission goes back a long way - he had visited the Belur Math and requested to join the order at a very young age. His request had been turned down since he was underage.
He made two more attempts later -- the last one in 1966 in Gujarat's Rajkot, where he met Swami Atmasthanand, who then headed the Ramakrishna Centre there.
According to monks of Belur Math, when he met Swami Atmasthanand two years ago, the PM told him, "You had asked me to go away that time, and that is why I am the chief minister now.
Today, during their meeting, PM Modi referred to the monk as Guruji, touching his feet and asking for his blessing. To his question of "Kem cho?" meaning how are you, in Gujarat, the Swami replied "Saru Che (I'm good)".
"He (Swami Atmasthananda) recognised Modi instantly. Throughout their meeting he was lying down on the bed while Modi sat beside him on a chair," said one of the monks present during the meeting.
Swami Atmasthananda also presented the Prime Minister with a dhoti and shawl.