Who is Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad, hailed as ‘Bihar ki Beti' by PM Modi: All you need to know
Her great-grandfather, Ram Lakhan Mishra, migrated as an indentured laborer in 1889, a journey confirmed through ship tickets and land records preserved by the family.
During a poignant 2012 visit to her ancestral village, she declared: "Bihar is in my DNA" while embracing relatives. Prime Minister Modi highlighted this connection during his July 2025 visit, calling her "Bihar ki Beti" (Daughter of Bihar) before the Indian diaspora.
Born in rural Siparia in 1952, Persad-Bissessar earned multiple degrees, including law honors where she topped her class, before teaching at the University of West Indies.
Her political journey began in 1987 as a local councilor. She shattered glass ceilings as Trinidad's first female Attorney General (1995), and first woman Opposition Leader (2006), and made history in 2010 as the nation's first female Prime Minister.
After electoral victories in 2025, she reclaimed the premiership, taking her oath on the Bhagavad Gita.
Persad-Bissessar actively nurtures Indo-Caribbean ties, hosting PM Modi with Bhojpuri Chautaal folk performances and ministers in traditional Indian attire.
During his visit, PM Modi gifted her Sarayu river water and a Ram Mandir replica, reciprocating the diaspora's earlier contributions of sacred water and stones for Ayodhya's temple.
In 2012, India honored her with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest award for overseas Indians, acknowledging her bridge-building efforts.
Married to obstetrician Dr. Gregory Bissessar since 1971, she balances political life with family in Penal, Trinidad.
Her leadership extends beyond politics; she champions education and women's empowerment, crediting her grandmothers, who supported their families as widows, for her resilience.
With 45% of Trinidad's population having Indian roots, her story embodies the enduring legacy of Girmitiya laborers who preserved Bihar's culture abroad.
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