Swaraj ‘extraordinary woman, leader’: UNGA President

By Arul Louis

New York, Aug 7 (IANS) UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has hailed India's former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as "an extraordinary woman and leader."

"Saddened by the news of the passing of @SushmaSwaraj, an extraordinary woman & leader who devoted her life to public service," Espinosa, who is on a visit to Britain, tweeted on Tuesday.

"I had the honor of meeting her in my visits to #India, & will always remember her fondly. My deepest condolences to all of her loved ones," she added after Swaraj died on Tuesday in New Delhi.

In a tweet, Afghanistan' s UN Mission also offered the "deepest condolences" of the Afghan people to the people and government of India on the passing away of Swaraj.

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) said, "In her passing away, we will miss a statesman, as well as a sincere and able political leader."

It recalled that the organisation had a close working relation with her and received her cooperation on many of the Non-Resident Indians and persons of Indian Origin issues.

Hindu American Foundation's Director of Government Relations Jay Kansara said Swaraj "cared deeply for Hindu minorities in the (American) region and around the world".

"She also gave every issue and all she engaged with a motherly touch," he said.

He recalled "the care and grace in the way she handled the hate crime perpetrated against Srinivas Kuchibotla and Alok Madasani in Kansas providing all assistance to the grieving community".

Kuchibotla was killed and Madasani was wounded in a 2017 attack by a man who mistook them for Iranians.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)