NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait witnessed a heartwarming moment when he met centenarian and retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Mangal Sain Handa on Saturday. The meeting was initiated by a social media post by Handa’s granddaughter, which caught the attention of the PM, leading to a personal invitation for Handa to meet Modi.
The 101-year-old former IFS officer, who now lives in Kuwait, was greeted by Modi, who not only exchanged greetings with him but also posed for photos with his family. Before retiring about four decades ago, Handa had served in Kuwait, the UK, Iraq, China, Argentina, and Cambodia.
On Friday, Handa’s granddaughter, Shreya Juneja, requested Modi to meet her grandfather during his visit. Just before boarding Air India One on Saturday, Modi responded, “Absolutely! I look forward to meeting Mangal Sain Handa ji in Kuwait today.”
The Indian community gave a rousing reception to Modi as he arrived in Kuwait – the first visit by an Indian PM to the Gulf nation in 43 years. The PM also received copies of Ramayana and Mahabharata translated into Arabic by Abdullah Baron and published by Abdullateef Alnesef. “Received a heartwarming welcome from the vibrant Indian diaspora in Kuwait… Grateful for their enthusiasm and proud of their contributions to strengthening ties between our nations.”