Tarina Patel Welcomes India's Narendra Modi at G20 Summit

As global leaders arrived in South Africa for the G20 Summit, South African actor, producer, and cultural ambassador Tarina Patel had the distinguished honour of welcoming India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to Johannesburg — a moment she describes as both personally profound and symbolically significant for the ties between India and South Africa.

Patel, long regarded as a bridge between the two nations through her cultural work, spoke of the experience with heartfelt pride. She noted that welcoming Prime Minister Modi felt like a celebration of shared histories, identities and the enduring bond between Indian South Africans and their ancestral homeland. “It is one of the greatest honours of my life to welcome our beloved Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji, to South Africa,” she said. “As someone who proudly carries both South African spirit and Indian heritage, this moment reflects the depth of our connection — a connection built on respect, culture and shared humanity.”

The occasion held an even deeper resonance for Patel because she had met Mr Modi many years earlier, when he was serving as Chief Minister. She stresses that even then, it was impossible to overlook the extraordinary presence he carried. “When I first met him, I knew I had come face to face with power in its purest form,” she recalled. “He was magnanimous, magical, truly larger than life — the kind of leader whose energy fills a room and stays with you long after. I knew immediately that he was destined for greatness, that he would one day lead India, and that his influence would reach far beyond its borders.” That early impression, she added, has only intensified as he has become one of the most influential leaders on the global stage.

At the G20 welcome, Patel greeted him with the warmth and devotion of her own cultural lineage. As a follower of the Swaminarayan faith, she began with the traditional greeting “Jay Swaminarayan,” and then spoke to him in Gujarati — lines she had practised in advance so she could honour him in their shared mother tongue. “It was important to me to connect with him in Gujarati,” she said. “He listened with kindness, and it felt like a full-circle moment — to meet him again years later, now as one of the world’s most respected leaders.”

Throughout his visit, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of Indian South Africans remaining connected to their roots. He encouraged the community to deepen engagement with India, strengthen people-to-people ties, and continue promoting Indian culture across South Africa. He urged the diaspora to learn more about India’s rich history, traditions and heritage — not only to preserve their identity, but to strengthen the cultural bridge between nations. His words resonated strongly, reinforcing a sense of pride and belonging within the community.

For Patel, a proud Gujarati, these messages struck a particularly emotional chord. “Being Gujarati, I feel powerful and unstoppable when I see the global influence our community has achieved,” she said. “Prime Minister Modi represents that spirit — a leader who embodies courage, spirituality, heritage and vision. It is a remarkable time to be Indian.”

The significance of the moment was further heightened when Patel discovered that she appears in one of the photographs shared on the Prime Minister’s official social media post documenting his South Africa visit. She expressed immense delight at finding herself included. “To be captured in that moment, in a photograph that now lives out there forever — it feels like a small piece of history,” she said. “It’s something that will remain in the digital universe, a memory preserved, and I feel deeply honoured by that.”

Despite the presence of numerous heads of state and dignitaries at the G20 Summit, Modi’s visit drew exceptional attention from South Africans across communities and cultures. Many were captivated by his leadership, presence and global stature, reflecting the admiration he continues to inspire worldwide.

For Patel, welcoming the Prime Minister was more than a ceremonial duty. It was a profound affirmation of heritage, identity and the shared future of India and South Africa. Through her cultural and diplomatic work, she continues to champion the ties that unite both nations, demonstrating the power of art, heritage and human connection to build bridges across continents.