New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) A boy from Solapur in Maharashtra did not expect a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he sent a letter along with a portrait of the PM made by him.

Pratik Chandrashekhar Yabaji, a Class 9 student, not only got a reply but the prime minister also said in his letter that it was messages like these that gave him new energy to work for the country day and night.

Fourteen-year-old Yabaji had written to Modi and had sent a portrait of the prime minister made by him along with it. In his response, Modi wrote back to him and thanked him.

"Art is a special medium for embodying the spirit of the mind and to convey it effectively to others. The painting you made shows your deep understanding and dedication towards art," Modi said in his letter.

"I believe that with continuous practice and dedication, your art will keep getting better with time," he said.

Yabaji and his family could not believe that the prime minister had not only read his letter but had also taken time out to write back.

They were delighted to receive the letter from Modi.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)