Power of a single tweet: MEA swings into action, opens KL mission to help Indian in need

In a sign of how much in tune the MEA is with social media, the ministry actually opened up its Kuala Lumpur mission after a Indian chartered accountant tweeted to them for help.

Kuala Lumpur based Anil Biyani was left with the remains of his aunt Sushila who had passed away while on a family holiday. The death had taken place on a Saturday, when the Indian High Commission in Malaysia was closed, and Biyani had no way of repatriating his aunt’s remains back to Mumbai.

Helpless and with no way out, he sent an SOS tweet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

The MEA spokesperson took action almost immediately.

According to the Deccan Chronicle , it emerged that Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin immediately got in touch with India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, T S Tirumurti, who was in New Delhi to attend the Heads of Missions Conference.

After his intervention the High Commission officials helped Biyani book a ticket on Malaysian Airlines flight MH 194 to take his aunt’s remains home the very next day.

Here are all the tweets:

@MEAIndia sir need urgent help in Kuala Lumpur, my bhuwa passed away here 1/2

— Anil Biyani (@listenmsaying) February 7, 2015

@MEAIndia we want to take her body back to Mumbai and embassy closed for weekend

— Anil Biyani (@listenmsaying) February 7, 2015

Intervention by the Indian officials also helped speed-up the autopsy process. As soon as the autopsy report was issued on 8 February, the Indian High Commission issued the necessary documentation for repatriation of the body.

@MEAIndia thank u sir but autopsy tking enormous time n nt begin, can u help in this, remains in KL hospitl since 3am, dr siti asma incharge

— Anil Biyani (@listenmsaying) February 7, 2015

@MEAIndia thanks sir, autopsy begin 9 pm, remains expected to arrive Sunday by mh194, remains booked but flight overbook- 1/2

— Anil Biyani (@listenmsaying) February 7, 2015

According to the Mumbai Mirror ,  Biyani had invited his Goregaon based parents Ramakant and Suman Biyani along with his uncle Omprakash Lahoti and aunt Sushila for a trip to Malaysia and Cambodia to celebrate the first anniversary of his move.

@MEAIndia thank you sir - all things taken care of!! You are really amazing help @PMOIndia @narendramodi @SushmaSwaraj

— Anil Biyani (@listenmsaying) February 8, 2015

Anil and his wife Sonia, an IT professional, had worked out a very extensive itinerary for the visitors, who were on their first international holiday.