A video call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has become a moment of national inspiration — the pilot recounting how reciting the Hanuman Chalisa (a devotional hymn) kept his courage intact through a crisis in the skies. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai shared the exchange on X on October 2, 2026, urging followers to watch what he called a deeply moving and motivating conversation.

What Captain Smit Told the Prime Minister

In the video call, Captain Smit Machchhar described his ordeal in the cockpit under extreme duress. He told the Prime Minister that in those critical moments, the continuous recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa became his anchor — delivering 'courage, faith, and mental strength' when circumstances were at their most desperate. The conversation, as CM Sai described it, was both personal and deeply uplifting.

Prime Minister Modi initiated the call to personally inquire about the pilot's well-being and wish him a speedy recovery — a gesture that drew significant attention given the gravity of the episode Captain Smit had survived.

CM Sai's Message: Faith as Inner Armour

CM Sai opened his post with a verse from the Hanuman Chalisa itself: 'Sab sukh lahe tumhari sarna, tum rakshak kahu ko darna' — meaning, 'All comforts are found in your refuge; with you as protector, there is nothing to fear.' The choice of that specific verse was not incidental. It frames Captain Smit's experience as a lived testimony to the hymn's promise.

Sai described the story as one of 'unwavering faith under adversity, indomitable courage, and an unbreakable sense of duty' — a narrative he called inspiring for every Indian. His post concluded with a direct call to action, urging people to listen to the conversation between the Prime Minister and the pilot in full.

Why This Moment Resonates

Across India's aviation community and beyond, stories of pilots navigating life-threatening situations rarely surface with this kind of personal detail. What makes this account striking is not just the technical survival — it is the specific, intimate account of what held a trained professional together psychologically when instruments and training alone may not have been enough. That is the detail that travels.

The Prime Minister reaching out directly by video call amplifies the moment further, signalling that Captain Smit's ordeal and recovery carry symbolic weight at the highest levels of government. For CM Sai, sharing it is an act of both tribute and motivation — a reminder that courage is not always mechanical. Sometimes it is devotional.