In the latest episode of Soul Yatra with Sharat, former diplomat Lakshmi Puri and her husband, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, sit down for a rare intimate conversation. The couple reflects on over five decades of life, love, and public service.
The episode, which dropped on November 22, traces the Puris’ extraordinary journey that spans over 50 hearty years — from their first meeting in Mussoorie as young civil servants to their long and eventful careers as diplomats and global policymakers.
Love, diplomacy and shared milestones
Their story began in Mussoorie with a meeting that soon blossomed into friendship. Coming from different cultural backgrounds, their eventual marriage marked not just a personal union but also a celebration of shared purpose and values. But the couple’s discussion went beyond romantic nostalgia. Together, they revisited some of the defining moments of their diplomatic careers — significant memories, the people they worked with and the historic moments they had the honour to be a part of.
“A journey that began five decades ago as batchmates, colleagues and friends, later transformed into a love story…and marriage, despite being from different cultures,” the couple shared on Instagram. “From picking up time management skills in Tokyo, to flying the LTTE Chief to India, dealing with the hardliners across the border, to discovering the soft side of diplomacy as ambassadors of India’s culture, cuisine and traditions, to other moments that shaped both Lakshmi and me as diplomats over the years…and finally to being asked to join the team of PM Sh @narendramodi Ji,” they continued.
{{/usCountry}}“A journey that began five decades ago as batchmates, colleagues and friends, later transformed into a love story…and marriage, despite being from different cultures,” the couple shared on Instagram. “From picking up time management skills in Tokyo, to flying the LTTE Chief to India, dealing with the hardliners across the border, to discovering the soft side of diplomacy as ambassadors of India’s culture, cuisine and traditions, to other moments that shaped both Lakshmi and me as diplomats over the years…and finally to being asked to join the team of PM Sh @narendramodi Ji,” they continued.
{{/usCountry}}“A Soul Yatra worth every step…”
Throughout the conversation, host Sharat drew out thoughtful reflections on how love, partnership, and purpose have guided their lives. As the minister himself summed it up: “It has been and continues to be a Soul Yatra worth every step.”
Watch the latest episode of Soul Yatra with Sharat here.