101-Year-Old Former IFS Officer Greet PM Modi in Kuwait

Kuwait City
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a heartfelt welcome upon his arrival in Kuwait City on Saturday, marking the beginning of his two-day visit—the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. The Indian diaspora, the largest expatriate group in Kuwait, gathered to greet him with enthusiasm, showing the deep bond between the two countries.

Among the crowd was 101-year-old Mangal Sain Handa, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who had served in Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Iraq, China, Argentina, and Cambodia before retiring nearly four decades ago. Handa was warmly received by Prime Minister Modi, and the two exchanged greetings and posed for photos with Handa's family.

The meeting came after Handa's granddaughter, Shreya Juneja, had requested PM Modi on social media to meet her grandfather during his visit. PM Modi responded by expressing his eagerness to meet Handa.

During his visit, the Prime Minister also received copies of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, translated into Arabic by Abdullah Baron and published by Abdullateef Alnesef.

In his departure statement, PM Modi highlighted his visit as an opportunity to strengthen ties with Kuwait, emphasizing the importance of the Indian diaspora in enhancing bilateral relations. He also planned to interact with the community at a special event and visit a labor camp as part of his trip.