Bhubaneswar : Nelson Mandela is known for a lot of things but most importantly known for leading the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He served as the president of Africa from 1994-1999. He won the Nobel prize for peace and is also the winner of Bharat Ratna. He was loved and admired round the world.
Mandela was an avid follower of Gandhi ji and his teachings. His first foreign visit after spending 25 years behind bars was to India. This is the year when he was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
The people who’ve met Mandela personally have been in awe of his charisma, and Srikanta Jena, former union minister for parliamentary affairs and tourism was one among them. He was a union minister in the Gujral ministry. He visited Cape town, along with Gujral in the year 1997.
“I was fortunate to meet him at Capetown, South Africa in the year 1997 at the Presidential Palace with then Prime Minister of India Mr. I K Gujral,” Jena said.
“While going to address the press he was almost going to fall due to his knee problem and we were there to support him. I was in awe of his personality and I am among the lucky ones who got to meet him personally,” Jena added
