Pune, 9 December, 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met former Union minister Arun Shourie at a hospital in Pune on Sunday evening and spent nearly 15 minutes with the former BJP leader.

According to senior doctors of the Ruby Hall Clinic, located in Bund Garden area of the city, the prime minister arrived at 6 pm.

Modi said in a tweet: "In Pune, I met former Union Minister Arun Shourie Ji. Enquired about his health and had a wonderful interaction with him. We pray for his long and healthy life".

A team of chief cardiologist Dr Parvez Grant, neurosurgeon Dr Sachin Gandhi took Modi to Shourie's room.

"The PM spent 15 minutes with Shourie. He embraced Shourie during their interaction," the doctors said, adding that the prime minister spoke with the family members of Shourie outside his room.

It was not a pre-decided visit, according to hospital sources.

The PM spent some 45 minutes at the hospital before heading to the airport.

Modi was in Pune to attend the conclusion of the three-day conference of IGs and DGPs.

Shourie, 78, has been undergoing treatment after he fell on December 1 while out on a walk near his bungalow in Lavasa, some 60 kilometres from Pune.

Shourie, a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999-2004, had later became a vocal critic of the economic policies of the Modi government, leading to a parting of ways with the ruling dispensation.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, the Ruby Hall Clinic stated that Shourie will be discharged in the next few days.

It said the PM and Shourie greeted each other and discussed about health and other issues.

"Shourie is undergoing treatment in Ruby Hall Clinic ICU for his head injury for the last 6 days. PM Modi after taking updates from treating doctors, met his friend. Both greeted each other in very cheerful mood and discussed about his health and other issues. There were many light moments and remembrance between their 20-year old friendship," it said.

During his discussion with Dr Grant, managing trustee of the hospital, the PM enquired about an old case of Vaishali Jadhav, a paediatric patient referred by the PM two years ago requiring a major heart surgery.

The PM was told that the girl was operated free of cost and doing well healthwise.

The Ruby Hall Clinic is one of the few national cardiac centres where a large number of organ transplants are carried out, the release quoted Dr Grant as telling the prime minister.

A team of Dr Gandhi, Chief Intensivist Dr.Prachi and Dr.Grant are are closely monitoring Shourie's health.

"He is fully conscious and improving in his health and will be discharged in the next few days," statedDr Kishor Pujari, COO, Ruby Hall Clinic.