In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday tweeted in Maldives' local language 'Dhivehi', sharing a song tribute by Maldivian singers to the Indian activist who led the monumental independence movement against British rule.
Sharing the song "Vaishnav Jan To" performed in Hindi by the local artists Mohamed Shahid and Mariyam Waheeda, PM Modi wrote in Dhivehi language, in both the Maldivian script 'Thaana' and romanized in the Latin alphabet, praising the "talented singers" and commenting on how Gandhi's philosophy is reflected in Maldivians' lives.
Modi stated that Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of peace, sustainable development, and cleanliness movement are reflected in the Maldivian lifestyle.
While Modi's tweet left several of his 44 million followers puzzled, it came as a pleasant surprise to Maldivian Twitter users, and many thanked the Indian prime minister for his first tweet in Dhivehi.