Kolkata

School students and artists from across West Bengal on Sunday expressed their happiness upon receiving personal letters from Prime Minister Narendra Modi after presenting him with handcrafted portraits during his rallies for the state’s two-phased Assembly election.

Among the recipients was a Class 6 student from Siliguri and an artist who rediscovered her lost passion. Mayank Ghosh, the Class 6 student, had presented a hand-drawn sketch to the Prime Minister during his campaign rally in the city on April 12.

He said, “I had made a sketch on my own and took it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he came to Siliguri.” Ghosh further described his interaction with the Prime Minister during the rally.

“PM Modi liked my sketch very much and also said that every sketch should have an address on the back so that a reply can be sent,” he said. “I gave it to PM Modi and finally received a letter from him. I am very happy,” he added.

Rahul Basak, a student from Dhatrigram in Purba Bardhaman district, had also presented a hand-drawn portrait to the Prime Minister during his campaign there. According to Basak, he was “extremely lucky” to be among those who received a letter.

He mentioned that such appreciation would motivate him to draw better. “PM Modi had said he would send a response, but I never imagined it would arrive so quickly. This has greatly boosted my confidence. I have been learning to draw since childhood, and this recognition will motivate me to keep improving,” he said.

Similarly, artist Papiya Mondal from Purbasthali village in Purba Bardhaman also presented a hand-drawn portrait to the Prime Minister during the same rally. She emphasized that such recognition has encouraged her to continue her passion for art.

Echoing a similar sentiment, Mondal said, “I feel extremely fortunate. PM Modi had said that the artworks would be acknowledged, but I never imagined I would receive a letter so soon. This has boosted my confidence immensely.”

“I have been drawing since childhood, although I had stopped for some time. This recognition has reignited my passion,” she added.

Trishagni Banerjee, a resident of Raghunathganj in Murshidabad, also expressed her gratitude to PM Modi for the letter. “I had made a painting of him, and I never imagined that he would take out his valuable time to respond to us. My family is also very happy with this letter,” she said.

Meanwhile, the first phase of the Assembly election in the state on April 23 witnessed a record voter turnout of over 93 percent. The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29, and the counting will take place on May 4.