Mumbai: Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Sunday visited his ancestral village in Sindhudurg district, calling it “a very special moment”. He was accompanied by his family members.'
It was his first visit to the village of Varad in Malvan tehsil, around 500 km from Mumbai, said Varadkar, who became prime minister of Ireland in June 2017.
His father Ashok Varadkar, a doctor, moved to the United Kingdom in the 1960s. The visit was a “special moment” as three generations of his family had gathered under one roof, the Ireland prime minister said after the villagers felicitated him.
He also visited a temple of the village deity. “I am here with my parents, my sisters and their husbands, my partner and some grandchildren are here... so it is a big family visit,” the Ireland PM said.
During another interaction with villagers, he said, “This is my fifth visit to India but the first to Varad where my grandfather and father were brought up. It is a privilege and honour for me to visit this place.”
The Ireland PM also said he knows a few words of Marathi, his father's language, but not enough for interaction.
