‘I’m your family member’, says PM Modi after inaugurating Dawoodi Bohra community’s Arabic Academy in Mumbai

Bohra community members in foreign lands can act as brand ambassadors of shining India, said PM Modi. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 10, 2023 inaugurated Dawoodi Bohra community’s Arabic Academy at Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah (The Saifee Academy) in Mumbai.

After the inauguration, Mr. Modi was walking around the campus with His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq and present leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community, one of the influential communities in the country’s financial capital.

“I’m not here as Prime Minister, but as part of the family. Visiting you is like visiting my family. Please don’t refer to me as PM or CM. I’m your family member,” he said while addressing the community members.

“Our association goes a long way. Four generations of Syedna sahab’s family have blessed me, and he (His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin) has fulfilled a 150-year-old dream by setting up this institute in Mumbai (outside Gujarat),” the Prime Minister said.

Hailing the contribution of the community to social welfare initiatives, Mr. Modi said that from fighting malnutrition to the cause of water in Gujarat their contribution is unforgettable.

“When I was Chief Minister of Gujarat, I worked closely with the community in fighting malnutrition and water crisis,” he said. He cited this as an example of the complementarity of society and government for causes ranging from tackling malnutrition and water scarcity.

The Prime Minister said every community, group or organisation is recognised by its ability to keep its relevance intact with changing times. “On the parameters of adapting to changing times and development, Dawoodi Bohra Community has proved itself. Institutions like Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah are a living example of this”, he said.