Meet Qamar Sheikh, PM Modi's Pakistani Rakhi Sister

New Delhi: Qamar Sheikh, Prime Minister Modi's ‘rakhi’ sister, is set to visit Delhi ahead of Raksha Bandhan on August 19 to celebrate the festival with him for the 30th consecutive time. According to reports, Sheikh has been in touch with PM Modi for the last 35 years, since 1990. Qamar was first introduced to Modi in 1990 through Dr. Swaroop Singh, the then-Governor of Gujarat.

Who is Qamar Sheikh?

Sheikh was born into a Muslim family in Karachi and married Mohsin Sheikh in 1981. She later migrated to and settled in India. Modi has shared a warm familial bond with her for around 30 years. For Raksha Bandhan, Sheikh designs a rakhi for the PM with her own hands and adorns it on his wrist.

Sheikh mentioned that she has already crafted 8 to 10 Rakhis. 'I make many Rakhis with my own hands every year before Raksha Bandhan, and in the end, I tie the one I like the most on his wrist,' she added.

For the 30th year of this annual tradition, Sheikh said she is preparing something special. 'The Rakhi I have prepared this year is made on velvet. I have used pearls, metal embroideries, and tikki in the Rakhi,' she noted, adding that her tickets are booked to Delhi for August 19, a day before Raksha Bandhan.

Sheikh also shared that in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, she did not travel and continue the ritual due to COVID-19.

However, last year she travelled to Delhi with her husband and tied the Rakhi. Sheikh expects an invitation to the Raksha Bandhan celebrations this year as well.

As a sister, she supports her brother's public welfare work and wishes for his good health. Sheikh reminisces about how when she first met him, PM Modi was only a worker of the Sangh.

'I told him once that I pray that one day you become the Chief Minister of Gujarat,' she said. Hearing this, PM Modi laughed. 'When my wish turned into reality, then during a later meeting on Raksha Bandhan, he asked me what wish I had made for my brother now?' Sheikh said that at that time, she used to pray that Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister of the country. 'I am lucky that my wish has been accepted. Today, he has become the Prime Minister of the country for the third consecutive time,' she added."