New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday exchanged Diwali greetings with Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda after the latter praised him as a person, describing him as a warm and caring friend and appreciating his oratory and hard work. "Happy Diwali and Nutan Varsh Abhinandan to you Sam Bhai and to Anjana Ben. Praying for a joyful and healthy year ahead. Jai Jagannath!" Modi said in a post on X, while sharing Pitroda's comments about him. The Gujarati New Year begins on November 10. Earlier in the day, Pitroda, a close associate of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, said in an interview that he shared a personal bond with Modi, whom he had known as a Gujarati friend. "He is a Gujarati friend. I respect him as a person. My wife and I have met him. He has been very warm, kind, loving and caring at a personal level. Of course, he is a good orator and hard-working, and we get along well. We have no personal issues. I have nothing against Mr. Modi as a Gujarati leader, friend or well-wisher..." Pitroda said. While Modi often extends birthday greetings to political opponents, his response to Pitroda's remarks drew attention given the latter's association with the Congress leadership. A close associate of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, Pitroda was one of the principal architects and technical leaders of India's telecom revolution in the 1980s....