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‘Contributing to talent, tech and tradition’: PM Modi hails Indian diaspora in Kuwait
way2barak, December 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the diaspora has filled Kuwait’s canvas with the colours of Indian skills and assured that India has the manpower, skills and technology needed by a “New Kuwait”.
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Kuwait at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, addressed a gathering of the Indian community in Kuwait City.
His visit to Kuwait is the first for any Indian PM to this Gulf nation in 43 years. The last PM to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981.
Ahead of his arrival in Kuwait, Modi graciously agreed to meet 101-year-old Mangal Sain Handa, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, after a request from his granddaughter Shreya Juneja on X.
Juneja’s post read, “Humble request to Hon’ble PM @narendramodi to meet my 101-year-old Nanaji, ex-IFS officer, in Kuwait during tmrw’s interaction with the Indian Diaspora. Nana @MangalSainHanda is a great admirer of yours. Details have been emailed to your office.” Modi’s response was swift: “Absolutely! I look forward to meeting @MangalSainHanda Ji in Kuwait today.”
Addressing the Indian diaspora, Modi said, “It takes you four hours to reach here from India but it took four decades for an Indian PM to travel to Kuwait.”
Greeting the gathering for the series of festivals that would be celebrated over next few weeks, he said, “You all have come from different parts of India, but looking at all of you, it feels like a mini India has gathered here.”
“Every year, hundreds of Indians come to Kuwait; you have added Indian touch to Kuwaiti society. You have filled Kuwait’s canvas with colours of Indian skills, mixed with the essence of India’s talent, technology and tradition,” the PM said. “India has manpower, skills and technology needed by New Kuwait,” he added.
Earlier, Modi met two Kuwaiti nationals who translated and published India’s two iconic epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana in Arabic. He also signed copies of the Arabic versions of the two epics. “Happy to see Arabic translations of the Ramayan and Mahabharat. I compliment Abdullah Al-Baroun and Abdul Lateef Al-Nesef for their efforts in translating and publishing it. Their initiative highlights the popularity of Indian culture globally,” Modi said in a post on X.