The Indo-Pak Partition in 1947 continues to haunt people on both sides of the border. Millions of people were killed and displaced and many were separated from their friends and families forever. Recently, two childhood best friends who were separated by Partition met after several years in the US and a video of their heartfelt reunion has gone viral.
Megan Kothari, 32, documented the experience of reuniting her grandfather Suresh Kothari with his childhood best friend, AG Shakir. The meeting took place in the US in October 2023. Notably, the two grew up together in Deesa, Gujarat, and were separated in 1947, when they were around 12 years old.
''When his friend reached Pakistan in 1947, he wrote to my grandfather that he had reached and shared his address in Rawalpindi (which to this day my grandfather has memorized). They tried to write to each other over the years, but the tensions between the two countries eventually made it impossible,'' Ms Kothari wrote in a video shared on Instagram by Brown History. The two men had no contact from 1947 to 1981, however, they met in 1982 through a mutual friend in New York.
In October 2023, they met again after 41 years. In the video, the two friends can be seen shaking hands before sharing a warm embrace and spending the evening hand-in-hand.
''The love and respect they still held for each other, despite the geographical and political barriers that had separated them, is profound. It serves as a powerful reminder that the power of human connection can not be extinguished by any government or border,'' the caption of the video read.
Watch the video here:
As for the next time the childhood friends will see each other, Ms Kothari said they plan to meet for her grandfather's 90th birthday in April.
Internet users were moved after watching the emotional video and shared an array of responses. One user wrote, ''We're brothers and sisters after all. Don't let political hate divide us.''
Another commented, ''This is the most beautiful thing I've seen in ages.''
A third said, ''This made my day! I'm so happy. Tears welled up as he walked fast to his friend. Thank you.''
A fourth added, ''This made my whole life. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful moment with us. God bless them both.'' A fifth wrote, ''the way they are holding hands.''
