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Childhood best friends separated by India-Pakistan partition in 1947 reunite in US. Watch viral video
The friends grew up in Deesa, Gujarat, and were separated in October 1947 after the India-Pakistan partition. At that time, they were around 12 years of age.
Two friends, who were separated by the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 and had no communication for 35 years, reconnected and met in the United States in 1982. They have been meeting each other ever since. They reunited again in October 2023, after almost nine years since they last met. Now, a heartwarming video of their reunion has been going viral on Instagram.
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According to NBC News, AG Shakir, 90, and Suresh Kothari, 89, grew up in Deesa, Gujarat. They both were around 12 years of age when they were separated in 1947. Shakir fled by boat with his family in the middle of the night to the newly formed Pakistan in October 1947. Kothari, at that time, was studying in Mumbai (then Bombay) and couldn’t bid goodbye to his friend.
The sweet reunion was documented on video by Kothari’s 32-year-old granddaughter, Megan Kothari. The Instagram page Brown History shared the video, along with the note she submitted.
The note reads, “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 memorised). They tried to write to each other over the years, but the tensions between the two countries eventually made it impossible. They had no communication from 1948 to 1982 until a chance encounter with a mutual friend in New York led them back to each other.”
She also shared about their first reunion. “In 1982, when my grandfather’s friend, who had moved to Connecticut, heard my grandfather was coming to New York, he wanted to pick him up from JFK airport, that’s how excited he was. This was their first reunion after 35 years. They spent that week together, catching up on life and reconnecting after years of silence.”
The duo met in October 2023 after almost nine years and are planning their next reunion in April 2024 for Kothari’s grandfather’s 90th birthday celebration in New Jersey.
Watch their sweet reunion video here:
The video was shared four days ago on Instagram. It has since collected over 1.8 million views and the numbers are still increasing. Additionally, the share has also received a flurry of likes and comments from netizens.
Also Read| Viral Video: Family’s emotional reunion after seven long years moves viewers
Check out a few comments here:
“May Friendships and bonds never be defined by borders,” posted an individual.
Another added, “That’s beautiful.”
“This made my day! I’m so happy. Tears welled up as he walked fast to his friend. Thank you,” expressed a third.
A fourth commented, “This is amazing!”
“The way they are holding hands,” shared a fifth.
A sixth joined, “It’s wholesome.”
What are your thoughts on this?
