'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What’s the story?
Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, on being alerted that an upcoming boxer, named Jhalak Tomar was facing problems in getting her passport done in time to participate in a competition in Ukraine, took things into her own hands and expedited the process. She just wanted Jhalak to win a medal in return and make the country proud.
In case you didn’t know
After winning bronze in the 54 kg category of the Junior Women's National Boxing Championship, Jhalak was supposed to participate in an international boxing tournament named 'Valeria Demyanova Memorial' in Ukraine. However, things looked gloomy for the pugilist even after qualifying for the event as Jhalak didn’t have a passport.
A Twitterati, who was aware of the issue, was quick to send a screenshots of Jhalak’s passport application to Swaraj. Things fell in place quite quickly after that as the extremely active external affairs minister reacted promptly to simplify the whole process.
Heart of the matter
Ever since she became the external affairs minister, Swaraj has garnered a lot of plaudits for strategically using social media to help the citizens in distress, and things were no different time too.
The boxer from Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh surely would have lost the chance of featuring in the Ukraine competition had the minister not stepped in.
The Foreign Affairs magazine named Swaraj as one of 15 'Global Thinkers' of the year "for fashioning a novel brand of Twitter diplomacy".
What’s next?
Jhalak, who has shown promise early in her career, can do a world of good for herself by grabbing this opportunity with both hands and winning a medal in Ukraine.
Author’s take
Swaraj’s dedication in this aspect is unmatched. She is always super quick to respond to messages from the needy and has even gone to the extent of solving issues, pertaining to her department, while being ill on a hospital bed. India really need people like these in every sector.
