New Delhi: Welcoming World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said, "My good friend Tulsi Bhai is clearly well prepared for Navratri! Welcome to India."


His remarks came after WHO chief Tedros played 'dandiya' upon his arrival in Gujarat to participate in a two-day Traditional Medicine Global Summit in the state capital Gandhinagar.


“My good friend Tulsi Bhai is clearly well prepared for Navratri! Welcome to India, @DrTedros!” the prime minister shared a post by the Ministry of Ayush where the WHO chief can be seen performing a 'dandiya' dance to the tunes of Gujarati folk music.






The ministry captioned the video, "A warm welcome to the WHO Director-General, @DrTedros, also known as Tulsi Bhai, the endearing name conferred upon him by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi." 

 

Last year, PM Modi had given the name ‘Tulsi-bhai’ to the WHO chief at his request.

 

While addressing the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit last year, Modi had said, "Tedros is a good friend of mine. He always told me Indian teachers taught me and I am here because of them. Today he told me - 'I have become a pucca Gujarati. Have you decided a name for me?' So I will call him Tulsi bhai as a Gujarati."

 

Tedros took to social media platform X to announce his arrival for the two-day global summit.





“Delighted to be in #India for the @WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, the Ministerial Meeting on Ending TB in @WHOSEARO and the G20 Health Ministers Meeting. Namaste India!” WHO chief wrote on X.