New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday embarked on a two-day visit to Kuwait, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years. Modi arrived in the West Asian country at the invitation of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshaal Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to “strengthen India-Kuwait friendship in all fields”.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi met 101-year-old former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Mangal Sain Handa. Speaking to news agency ANI, Mangal’s son Dilip Handa said: “This is an experience of a lifetime. Prime Minister Modi said that he came here specially to meet him. We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi.”
Earlier on Friday, Handa’s granddaughter Shreya Juneja conveyed a message to Prime Minister Modi asking him to meet her 101-year-old grandfather during his visit to Kuwait.
Prime Minister Modi wrote in his reply: “Of course! I am looking forward to meeting Mangal Sain Handa Ji in Kuwait today.”
In addition, the Prime Minister also met in Kuwait City with Abdullatif Al-Neseif, who published the Ramayana and Mahabharata in Arabic, and Abdullah, who translated them into Arabic ·Barron.
“I am happy, it is an honor for me. Modi is very happy about it. These books are very important. He (Prime Minister Modi) signed both books,” Abdul Ratef Arnesev said in an interview with news agency ANI.
