In a class of her own

The untimely demise of Sushma Swaraj is a huge blow to the Indian expat population in the UAE, not to say that the loss will be of any less significance to expats in other countries. But, considering that a huge chunk of Indians, work in the Middle East, more specifically in the UAE, her loss will be felt more deeply here. She reached out like a guardian angel when we faced difficulties pertaining to consulate matters or even employment related matters (‘India’s former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj passes away,’ Aug.7, Gulf Today).

During her tenure as the Foreign minister she was instrumental in resolving hundreds of cases of Indian expatriates who asked her for help. A message or a tweet is all it took. She was so prompt that at times I wondered if she ever rested. She was a stellar example of how a person in high places used her position and resources for the benefit of the common man. She indeed belongs to a rare class of politicians, one who was approachable by all. And to top it all, she was one of the most efficient. So affable was she that no one thought twice before approaching her on matters pertaining to her ministry and in some cases even on issues beyond her jurisdiction. And she looked into each one of them.

From helping people with passport and visa issues to employment related problem to mass evacuation like in the case of Kerala nurses in Iraq, Sushma was an administrator in a class of her own.

Sushma will always be remembered for her humanness alongside her acumen as a parliamentarian. She is a stellar role model for all politicians. We need more people like Sushma in India.

Komal Prasathun
By email