Narendra Modi to unite displaced Nepali youth with family after 16 years
New Delhi: The maiden visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal tomorrow will have a special humanitarian aspect -- reunion of a youth with his parents after a separation of about 16 years.
26-year-old Jeet Bahadur, who came in contact with Modi in Ahmedabad over a decade back and was since looked after by him, will travel with the Prime Minister to Kathmandu to be personally handed over to his mother and elder brother.
"On a personal note, my Nepal visit is very special...Some personal emotions are also attached to this visit.," Modi said today on the eve of his two-day trip.
Thankfully, we were able to locate his parents. I am glad that tomorrow the parents would be reunited with their son.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 2, 2014In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said he met Bahadur years back in a helpless condition and narrated some subsequent developments. Jeet Bahadur's live in a slum area in Nawalparasi district of Nepal
"Years back, I met a child Jeet Bahadur in a helpless condition. He knew nothing, where to go, what to do. He did not know anybody, nor did he understand the language," Modi tweeted.
"Guided by God, I started thinking about him. Gradually, he developed interest in studies and playing. He also learned Gujrati language," he said.
Modi said sometime back, he was able to locate Bahadur's parents. "This was possible because he (Bahadur) has six fingers in his foot," he tweeted.
"Thankfully, we were able to locate his parents. I am glad that tomorrow the parents would be reunited with their son," the Prime Minister said.
The family of Bahadur, whose full name is Jeet Bahadur Magar, live in a slum area in Kawasoti Municipality in Nawalparasi district in western Nepal.
Thankfully, we were able to locate his parents. I am glad that tomorrow the parents would be reunited with their son.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 2, 2014Bahadur, who is currently pursuing BBA in Ahmedabad, had come to India in 1998 along with his brother looking for work like many other migrants from Nepal, according to Nepali media reports.
For some time, he worked in Rajasthan. However, after sometime he decided to return to Nepal as he was unhappy with his job.
While leaving Rajasthan, he mistakenly boarded an Ahmedabad-bound train instead of one going to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, which borders Nepal, the media reports said.
On arriving in Ahmedabad, a woman took him to the house of Modi who had till then not become the Chief Minister.
The world knows him (Narendra Modi) as the PM but for me he is my bade bhai: Jeet Bahadur pic.twitter.com/iNiy8wLhfc
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2014Since then, Bahadur had been in Modi's care. However, after Modi became the Prime Minister and moved to Delhi, Bahadur shifted to the university hostel.
The Prime Minister will be meeting his four family members who have moved to Kathmandu from their native place Kawasoti for the purpose, the media reports said.
His family members include his mother Khagisara, elder brother Dasharath, his wife and younger sister Prem Kumari.
I met him (Narendra Modi) when I was little, he took care of me like his own son: Jeet Bahadur pic.twitter.com/JMFsm2S2pJ
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2014Indian Embassy officials in Kathmandu earlier visited Bahadur's family in Kawasoti and informed them about Modi's visit and his desire to meet them.
Their photographs and citizenship certificates have also been collected, the media reports said. "Modi wanted to unite Jeet Bahadur with his family members in his presence," according to Dasharath.
Jeet Bahadur (student whose education has been sponsored by PM Modi): He (PM) is like bade bhai (elder brother) to me pic.twitter.com/UJOATLb0p1
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2014