During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Trinidad and Tobago, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday recalled Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s 1968 visit to the Republic of Republic of 1968, which was the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister.
Ramesh also shared a link to a video film on Gandhi’s visit on X, which was prepared by the hosts.
In the video, Gandhi is welcomed by Trinidad and Tobago’s then Prime Minister Eric Williams at the airport, he is given a guard of honor and people stand on the streets to welcome him.
Ramesh also shared facts about cricket relations and Indian heritage in Trinidad and Tobago.
Ramesh said in his post, “Super premium frequent flyer Prime Minister will be in Trinidad and Tobago today. Trinidad and Tobago are a small twin island Republic, which has given birth to many world celebrities. We know it as one of the places in India where the British took thousands of people as bonded laborers in the 19th century.”
The Super Premium Frequent Flier PM will be in Trinidad & tobago today.
Trinidad and tobago is a small twin-island republic that has produced a number of world figures. We in India Know it as one of the places to which the British Took Thousands of Indenthed Labor in the 19th…
– jairam ramesh (@Jairam_ramesh) July 4, 2025
He said, “Some of his descendants have made their unique identity in politics, such as Basdev Pandey, who was the Prime Minister during 1995-2001 and VS Naipaul in the current Prime Minister Kamla Prasad-Bissar; Literature, who won the Nobel Prize in 2001 and his brother Shiva Naipaul; and Spinner Sunny Ramadh in cricket, whom the first time after the first time after defeating England in June 1950, who was in June 1950 It was immortalized in Calipso. “
But he said that there is much more than the relationship of multi -ethnic Trinidad and Tobago with India.
He said that Williams, who was the first Prime Minister and prominent leader of the freedom movement, was a talented historian, whose book ‘Capitalism and Slavery’, which was first published in 1944, remains a classic book.
Ramesh said that when he met in Port of Spain in October 1968, Indira Gandhi had a long conversation with her and the hosts also made a beautiful film on her visit.
Ramesh further said that CLR James was an extraordinary Marxist scholar and activist, whose leading works on history, politics, sociology and cricket are still read and analyzed.
Ramesh said, “More than someone else, he played an important role in giving his first black captain to West Indies in 1960, who was a very inspiring and still respected Frank Warel.”
The Congress leader said that George Padmore was a tireless preacher and organizer against British colonialism and he and VK Krishna Menon were especially comrade in London in the late 1930s.
He said, “Trinidad and Tobago have given birth to the greatest cricketers such as Lery Custanten and Brian Lara. Subhash Gup, one of India’s finest leg -spinners settled here in the early 1960s and settled his family.”
He said that two and a half decades later, Trinidadian linguist Paigi Ramasar Mohan settled in India and later brought educational books like ‘Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story of India Through It’s Language (2021)’ and ‘Father Tung, Mother Land: The Birth of Language in South Asia (2025).
With the link of the film on Gandhiji’s visit, Ramesh also shared the Vijay Calipso composed by Sunny Ramadhin, which was created in 1950 after the West Indies defeated England.
Prime Minister Modi reached Port of Spain in the second phase of his visit to five countries, where he will interact with Tinidad and Tobago’s top leadership to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Modi was welcomed by his counterpart Kamala Prasad-Bissar at Piyarco International Airport, where he was formally welcomed and was given a guard of honor. Several cabinet ministers and senators were also present to welcome the Prime Minister.
In the third phase of his visit, Modi will visit Argentina from July 4 to 5. After that Modi will go to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS summit and then visit a state. Modi will go to Namibia in the last phase of his visit.
