Datuk Magendran M. Munisamy

Datuk M. Magendran PJN DSPN JSM KMN AMS from Kuala Lumpur is the first Malaysian mountain climber to conquer the summit of Mount Everest.

India has always been close to my heart for two obvious reasons. Firstly because of my Indian origin and secondly, my love for trekking and mountaineering. I was once, briefly attached to Manali Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports through Himalayan Outdoor Adventure Centre (HOAC) where I was exposed to my first ever snow and ice climbing skills and technics. This had led me to more trekking and climbing trips to the Himalayas which eventually made me the first Malaysian and PIO to set foot on Mount Everest on 23^rd May 1997.  

Although I was born and grew up in a multiracial and multicultural Malaysia, India never seize to amaze me with great heritage, diverse traditions and cultures of its own and more so, its’ unique myriad of landscapes right from the southernmost tip of kanyakumari to the northern most Himalayas. India is truly incredible.         

History has it that India was invaded by foreign forces numerous times, colonised for centuries, plundered its wealth, properties, tradition of minds and thousands of years old philosophies and tried changing its cultural and social landscape but India withstood and defended its rich heritage in more ways than one can imagine. Just as Mahatma Gandhi once said `I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any’.   

India’s Independence on the 15^th August 1947 was truly a victory over struggles and sacrifices of great leaders and its people and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you for being elected as the 14^th Prime Minister of this great nation. It was indeed a remarkable and historic achievement when you led BJP to form a single party majority government and my compliments to you again for being elected as Prime Minister for a second term since 2019. 

You have been dubbed as the man of the masses. You have touched the hearts of millions when you walk your talk, reaching out to the common people and adhere to the promises made. Your timely policies, bold decisions and swift actions are commendable and have put India on the fast track, right from empowering farmers, connecting India through state of art infrastructures, foreign policies to combating current external forces including the recent global health crisis.  

Wish you a very Happy 70^th Birthday and many more years of successful premiership of this great nation, India.