Srinagar:

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Srinagar today, a Kashmiri man recalled the time when he gifted a “pheran” – a form of cloak worn by locals in the Valley – to him. Hussain Naikoo, a farm labourer from Anantnag, had dreamed of meeting PM Modi since 2013. Despite his financial constraints, he started saving money to buy a gift for him. After a few years of saving, he thought of different gifts for the prime minister and decided to make a traditional dress for him. 

He selected the fabric but had no idea what size the Prime Minister wore. It then occurred to him that his father’s build was quite similar to that of PM Modi. So, he took his father to the tailor for measurements and got the pheran made.

Once the outfit was ready, he began his journey from Anantnag to Delhi to deliver it. He reached the Prime Minister’s residence but couldn’t get an entry due to security arrangements. So he returned to Kashmir and sent it by courier with a personal note and his address and contact number.

To his surprise, he received a call from the Prime Minister’s Office a few days later. 

“The Prime Minister is wearing the gift that you sent him today. He’s currently in Kashmir and addressing a rally in Srinagar wearing the pheran gifted by you,” the official from the PMO told him.

Irshad, who was in his fields when he received the call, could not believe it. He then rushed to his home and checked the event online and found PM Modi wearing his pheran.