‘I saw him as an avatar of Vishnu’: Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay praises PM Modi’s ‘elder brother’ for 25 years in public office | Today’s news

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Wednesday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an “avatar of Vishnu” as he praised the Indian prime minister for completing 25 years in public service.

In a post to mark Prime Minister Modi’s 25 years in public office, Tobgay recalled a meeting with the Indian prime minister in New Delhi in 2019 after his party lost elections in Bhutan and he was no longer a member of parliament.

He also called the Indian Prime Minister his “elder brother”.

“I was neither a Prime Minister nor an MP; I met Prime Minister Modi simply as a private citizen,” Tobgay wrote in a letter posted on X.

Tobgay said he thanked Prime Minister Modi for his support during his years in office and told him that he would always consider him as his elder brother.

“I told him he would always be my big brother — not just because he was older, but because he treated me with the affection an older brother reserves for a younger sibling,” he wrote.

Tobgay said he also told the Indian prime minister that he saw him as an “avatar of Vishnu”, explaining that enlightened rulers were historically seen as such in the region.

“Then I told him something else: I saw him as an avatar of Vishnu. In our part of the world, as I explained, enlightened rulers have long been regarded as such,” Tobgay wrote.

He said the remark initially made him question whether he had been abducted or was mistaken in his assessment.

“Later, when I thought about what I said, the answer was clear. I was right to see PM Modi as an avatar of Vishnu,” he wrote.

Tobgay calls Modi an ‘enlightened ruler’

Tobgay linked his description of PM Modi to the Buddhist tradition of Bhutan, referring to the Rigsum Gonpo, a trio of bodhisattvas dedicated to the liberation of all sentient beings.

He said that Manjushri represents wisdom, Avalokiteshvara compassion and Vajrapani courage.

“He awakened in Indians a strong faith in themselves and in their country. They seemed to be proud of India, more ambitious about its possibilities and more sure of its place in the world,” Tobgay wrote.

“Those were the qualities of an enlightened ruler to me,” he added.

Read also | PM Modi celebrates 25 years as PM with prayers, renews vow of service

Tobgay also reflected on PM Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, saying he watched him rule the state for nearly 13 years as he became a national benchmark for growth, infrastructure, investment and implementation.

He said PM Modi later took this ambition to the national level, citing manufacturing, foreign investment, financial inclusion, sanitation, technology and infrastructure as areas of focus.

Tobgay also linked PM Modi’s leadership with his vision of a developed India by 2047, describing wisdom, compassion, courage and selfless service as qualities associated with an enlightened ruler.

PM Modi has completed 25 years in leadership

PM Modi received congratulatory messages from leaders across the world on Wednesday as he completed 25 years at the helm of the government, with several global leaders praising his political leadership and contribution to India’s development.

Prime Minister Modi first assumed the post of Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7 October 2001. He remained in office until May 2014 when he became the Prime Minister of India.

Since then, he served as Chief Minister for more than 12 years, making 25 years of executive office in Gujarat and at the Centre.