During his two-day visit to Kuwait, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an emotional encounter with Mangal Sain Handa, a 101-year-old former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. The engagement occurred due to a social media request from Handa’s granddaughter.
PM Modi’s trip to Kuwait, marking the first by an Indian prime minister in 43 years, was undertaken at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Upon arriving in Kuwait on Saturday, PM Modi engaged with the Indian community.
Upon his arrival, PM Modi visited a hotel where he graciously met Mangal Sain Handa. The meeting was arranged following a request on X (formerly Twitter) by Handa’s granddaughter, Shreya Juneja, who described her grandfather as a “great admirer” of the Prime Minister.
“Humble request to Hon’ble PM @narendramodi to meet my 101-year-old Nanaji, ex-IFS officer, in Kuwait during tomorrow’s interaction with the Indian Diaspora. Nana @MangalSainHanda is a great admirer of yours. Details have been emailed to your office,” Shreya posted on X.
PM Modi quickly responded saying yes to the meeting. “Absolutely! I look forward to meeting @MangalSainHanda Ji in Kuwait today,” he wrote back.
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Getting a response from the Prime Minister on her X post, Shruti said that PM has won their hearts “once again” and her grandfather is overjoyed.
“It’s an honour to receive a response from you, sir! You’ve won our hearts once again. Nanaji @MangalSainHanda is overjoyed, and his smile means the world to us. We’re deeply grateful for this kind gesture,” she posted.
Significantly, PM Modi extended his wishes to Mangal Sain Handa on his centenary in a personal letter, commending his contributions to India’s diplomatic initiatives.
PM Modi’s activities in Kuwait involve touring an Indian labor camp, connecting with the Indian community, and attending the inauguration of the Gulf Cup football tournament.
