Heartwarming reunion of childhood friends separated during India-Pakistan partition. Watch

The best friends reunited in the United States last year after briefly connecting in 1982. (Image: brownhistory/Instagram)

Some friendships stand the test of time and emerge stronger than ever, no matter the distance. And that can surely be said for Suresh Kothari and AG Shakir’s friendship. The childhood best friends were separated during the brutal India-Pakistan partition in 1947 that affected millions of people. However, they were reunited after decades and a heartwarming video of the same is winning hearts online.

Kothari and Shakir grew up in Deesa, Gujarat, which is just a few hours away from the Pakistan border. They were separated during the Partition. While Kothari remained in Gujarat, Shakir lived in Rawalpindi, Pakistan with his family. Both tried to write to each other but the tensions between the two countries made communication impossible, Kothari’s granddaughter Megan Kothari said.

According to Megan, they didn’t have any communication between 1948-1982. Luckily, they managed to connect briefly in 1982 while in New York through a mutual friend. “This was their first reunion after 35 years. They spent that week together, catching up on life and reconnecting after years of silence,” according to Megan.

They finally reunited in October last year, 41 years after being separated again. And this time, they didn’t let go. The emotional reunion between the two friends was documented by Megan. The video featured the men embracing each other, overcome with emotions.

“The love and respect they still held for each other, despite the geographical and political barriers that had separated them, is profound. It serves as a powerful reminder that the power of human connection cannot be extinguished by any government or border. They hope to be reunited at my grandfather's 90th birthday this April in New Jersey in 2024,” the caption of the post read.

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The video has clocked in over a million views and stirred up emotions among hundreds of social media users. The touching reunion also caught the attention of several celebrities.

"This is amazing," writer and model Padma Lakshmi wrote. A user commented, "Who's cutting onions?"

"This made my day! I’m so happy. Tears welled up as he walked fast to his friend. Thank you," a third user remarked.

A fourth user added, "This made my whole life. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful moment with us. God bless them both."