Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wrote a letter to a girl who had sketched his portrait and gifted it to him during an election rally in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker.

Modi told Akansha Thakur, a schoolgirl, that he had received the portrait and thanked her for the gesture.

“India’s daughters are the bright future of the country. This affection and belongingness that I receive from all of you is my strength in the service of the nation. Our aim has been to build a healthy, safe and well-equipped nation for our daughters,” the prime minister told Thakur.

Modi said that he has always received love from the people of Chhattisgarh and praised them saying they have actively participated in the progress and development of the country.

He further added that the coming 25 years hold importance for the young generation in the country and said these years would shape their dreams and the future of the country.

“May you move forward with great success and bring glory to your family, society and country with your successes. With best wishes for your future,” Modi wrote further.

Thakur’s portrait had grabbed the prime minister’s attention during an election rally in Kanker.

While briefly stopping his address, he had asked Thakur to mention her address on the back of the sketch, and promised that he would send her a letter.

“Everyone was saying that PM Modi will be coming here,” Thakur told ANI after the rally on November 2. “I made a sketch for him and he said that he would write a letter to me…”