Adnan Sami, a Pakistani singer who came to India nearly 15 years ago, is now formally an Indian citizen. The singer had appealed to the Indian government to legalize his status on humanitarian grounds.
Sami received a citizenship certificate from Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijju, in New Delhi on Friday. The elated singer tweeted this message:
The singer said he was very happy after being given the Indian citizenship. "I am grateful to the government of India for giving me this beautiful gift," he told the Press Trust of India (PTI). Sami also tweeted a thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sami said there were mixed reactions in Pakistan to the new development, but that his family understood his love for India and its people. Sami had applied to the Indian Home Ministry on May 26, 2015, with a request that he be allowed to stay in the country on humanitarian grounds, officials told the media.
