Kuala Lumpur/New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi Kuala Lumpur was chosen for an Indian community event on Saturday, praising Tamil culture and highlighting several Tamils holding high positions in India. However, the focus on Tamils is very legitimate as they make up the vast majority of Malaysia’s Indian population. He emphasized that Tamil literature is timeless and its culture is global, noting that Malaysia is home to the second largest Indian community in the world. In India, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan is a Tamil and key members of his government EAM S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also Tamils, he said. Deputy Minister L Murugan is also from Tamil Nadu, he added. While he has often expressed his admiration for Tamil language and culture, his generous praise at the Kuala Lumpur event also had political significance as Tamil Nadu is about to hold parliamentary elections. At the ‘Selamat Datang Modi Ji (Welcome Modi)’ event, Modi recalled that when he first visited Malaysia in 2015, India was ranked 11th on the economic ladder and today, ten years later, it has joined the top three. “The country is ensuring clean and green growth as the world’s largest digital public infrastructure drives the country’s economy and creates the world’s third largest entrepreneurial hub,” he added, announcing that “UPI will soon be launched in Malaysia.“ He announced India’s decision to open its first consulate in Malaysia to strengthen ongoing cooperation between India and Malaysia and expand ties with the Indian community in Malaysia. He said Tamil language was India’s gift to the world. Noting that the Tamil diaspora has been present in Malaysia for centuries, he said that inspired by its history, India established the Thiruvalluvar Chair at the University of Malaya and will now set up a Thiruvalluvar Center to further strengthen the common heritage. The Prime Minister commended Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for the warm welcome extended to him and said it underscored his love and respect for India and the Indian community. Anwar, who attended the meeting, called Modi “a great friend”.
