The two world leaders spoke candidly about their bad days, their humble beginnings, and their plans to change the world.
At 8p.m. (Indian Standard Time) on Jan. 27, an episode of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio show "Mann Ki Baat" aired around India, featuring United States President Barack Obama. The historic conversation between the world leaders was recorded jointly the previous day.
Over the half-hour airtime, Modi and Obama took turns answering questions they had received from around India. Below are some of their most powerful responses.
Note: Modi's remarks have been translated from Hindi.
President Obama began his introductory remarks with "Namaste" and went on to discuss India's and the U.S.'s natural compatibility:
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"When I went to America for the first time I couldn't actually get into the White House, of course. There was a big iron fence outside the White House... At that time, of course, I never thought that I would have the opportunity of actually going into the White House.
One thing really did touch my heart and I can never forget it. Barack gifted me a book, and I think he took a lot of trouble to actually find that book. In 1894, that book became famous. It had to do with Swami Vivekananda who is one of the people I really deeply regard. There was a world religion conference in Chicago in 1894, and this was a compilation of the proceedings of that conference.
And his gifting me that book was something that really deeply touched me. And it wasn't just that. He had actually opened that book, read through that book, and actually put notes on the pages for me. And very proudly, he said that, I am from Chicago, and that is a city to which Swami Vivekananda had gone. And as I said, that deeply touched me, and I do consider that is something that is my heritage. I never did think that standing in front of the White House, having a photograph taken, and actually going into the White House and being gifted a book of somebody I deeply respect – I mean, you can imagine how deeply that must have touched me."
Barack Obama was asked whether he ever imagined he would become president of the United States:
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