Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has gone viral again, but this time for a heartwarming reason. He helped turn a young boy’s heartbreak into a happy ending. A few weeks ago, a video circulated on social media showing a young fan of Virat Kohli desperately trying to get the cricketer’s autograph. The boy made repeated attempts to reach Kohli, but each time he got close, security personnel stopped him.
After being turned away once again, the disappointed youngster walked off in tears and threw down his bat in frustration. The clip quickly went viral, with thousands of people sympathising with him. Recently, during a conversation with Humans of Bombay, Modi revealed that the video stayed with him long after he first watched it.
Rather than simply moving on, he decided to do something about it. Modi asked his team to track down the boy so he could give him a special gift, a bat from the inaugural IPL season signed by every player, including Kohli. Interestingly, Modi admitted that he does not even own a bat personally signed by Kohli, making the gesture even more remarkable.
“I will send him a season 1 bat. The bat is signed by every player, which was Virat Kohli’s signature as well,” said Modi as quoted by Times of India.
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It sounded like a promise that might be difficult to fulfill. After all, finding one fan from a viral video is no easy task. But the internet had other plans. The young boy later shared an update that delighted cricket fans across the country. He revealed that he had personally received a video call from Modi, who informed him that the special gift was on its way.
“Thank you Mr Lalit Modi Sir for reaching out to me. You made my morning truly special. Waking up to your video call was an unforgettable moment and means a lot to me. I’m so happy that you found me and I’m so excited to receive the bat from you,” said Yugveer Budhiraja.
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Modi also left a comment on the post, reassuring the youngster that the prized bat was already on its way. While social media can often feel exhausting, with people quickly moving on from one story to the next, moments like these remind everyone of its positive side.
“I am so glad I could find you. The bat I am sending will be personally delivered to your home in Delhi,” wrote Modi.
