‘Abhi to suraj uga hai’: What PM Modi’s poem recited by Uzbek students is about?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared highlights of his visit to the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, saying he witnessed a vibrant Indology ecosystem, strong interest in India and growing interest in Tamil culture.

PM Modi said the visit on Sunday was ‘interesting for quite a few reasons’, and also noted that students recited a few lines from poems written by him.

PM Modi said hearing the students recite his poems was an emotional experience.

"Today I had the opportunity to hear them recited by these young people. And I noticed that although they were speaking in Hindi, Hindi is not their native language, yet the emotions were expressed exactly as they were in my heart when I originally wrote them," he said.

"This only becomes possible when you live that language, when you immerse yourself completely in it," PM Modi added.

Which poem did the Uzbek students recite?

The students recited ‘Abhi to Suraj Uga Hai…’ (The Sun Has Only Just Risen) poem penned by him. Modi shared it publicly around New Year 2021, and later recited lines from it in his 2023 address to the US Congress and during Mann Ki Baat after Chandrayaan-3's successful Moon landing.

It is essentially a poem about hope, determination, overcoming difficulties and building a better future.

The poem uses the rising sun as a metaphor for a new beginning. PM Modi describes a determination to move forward despite obstacles and difficulties. The message is that challenges should not discourage people because the journey towards a brighter future has only begun.

The poem goes like:

Aasman mein sir uthakar

Ghane baadlon ko cheerkar

Roshni ka sankalp lein

Abhi toh suraj uga hai.

Dridh nishchay ke saath chal kar

Har mushkil ko paarkar

Ghor andhere ko mitane

Abhi toh suraj uga hai.

Vishwaas ki lau jalakar

Vikaas ka deepak lekar

Sapnon ko saakaar karne

Abhi toh suraj uga hai.

Na apna na paraya

Na mera na tera

Sabka tej bankar

Abhi toh suraj uga hai.

Aag ko samette

Prakash ko bikherte

Chalta aur chalata

Abhi toh suraj uga hai.

Vikriti ne prakriti ko dabocha

Apnon se dhwast hoti aaj hai

Kal bachane aur banane

Abhi toh suraj uga hai…

What else did PM Modi say?

During the interaction, an Uzbek Indologist told PM Modi, "Perhaps you will not find many countries in the world where people love India as much as the people of Uzbekistan do. Every single one of our citizens knows the greeting 'Namaste'."

The scholar also highlighted interest in Indian arts, dance, music, philosophy and Yoga, and said, "To truly understand India, you must read the Ramayana and the Mahabharata."

PM Modi also highlighted the importance of Tamil literature and the Tirukkural, asking whether the ancient text could be translated into Uzbek. "As you celebrate 80 years [of this institution], can you envision undertaking a mission to translate the 'Tirukkural' into the Uzbek language?" he asked.

The speaker present on the podium responded, "Yes, we will make every effort and try."

PM Modi said the translation would help deepen appreciation of Indian philosophical thought, adding, "The philosophical thought found in one of the world's most ancient languages will help us appreciate how deep human thought has been right from the beginning of our civilisation's journey."

PM Modi's two day Uzbekistan visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan has imparted fresh momentum to India-Uzbekistan ties, with the two countries elevating their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and announcing a series of initiatives spanning digital payments, mining, critical minerals, uranium, trade, healthcare, education, environment and culture.

The two-day state visit, held from August 29 to August 30 at the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, resulted in the exchange of 11 MoUs, agreements and understandings, besides a series of major announcements aimed at giving greater depth and direction to bilateral cooperation.

A key outcome of the visit was the elevation of India-Uzbekistan relations from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the growing scope of engagement between the two countries.

(With ageny inputs)