Pune & Hyderabad Alumnus, Somalia Deputy PM Wows With Fluent Hindi — Who Is Salah Ahmed Jama?

Last Updated:January 24, 2026, 09:15 IST

The clip Salah Ahmed Jama, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia speaking Hindi has since gone viral and prompted widespread reactions.

Salah Ahmed Jama said he learned Hindi in India itself. (Photo Credit: X)

Salah Ahmed Jama, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, made headlines recently when he spoke fluent Hindi during an interview in Davos with a journalist. The clip of him speaking Hindi has since gone viral and prompted widespread reactions.

During the interview, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai introduces the Somalian leader, who greets him with, “Namaste (Hello)" which catches Sardesai by surprise. The journalist exclaims, “Aree waah! Hindi mein? (Wow! In Hindi?)."

Jama replies, “Haan, Hindi mein baat karenge (Yes, we will speak in Hindi)," to which Sardesai responds, “Aapki Hindi toh bahut acchi hai (Your Hindi is very good)."

Jama adds, “Humara desh aur India ke purane sambandh hai (Our country has longstanding relations with India)." When asked where he learned Hindi, Jama explains, “Hindustan mein hi. Hum Pune mein rahe aur Hyderabad mein rahe hai. Delhi mein bhi rahe hai. Humari zindagi ke sabse behtareen din humne India mein guzare hai (In India itself. I have lived in Pune, Hyderabad and also in Delhi. The best days of our lives were spent in India)."

International Affairs Analyst Abdikarin Dahir shared an excerpt from the interview and wrote, “An Indian television channel interviewed the deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, and guess what happened. The interviewer was shocked because the Prime Minister spoke perfect Indian [Hindi]." He further added, “Indian people are known for their deep hospitality, kindness, and respect for guests."

A social media account named VS commented in detail: “That’s the beauty of a great country called Bharat [India]. Somalis are often ill-treated worldwide, regardless of how educated, dignified, or civilized they are. They are marginalized and mocked, not just by anyone, but even by the so-called saviors of humanity in the Western world. Bharat [India] has provided them a platform to thrive, gain wisdom, and explore the world without worrying about their social background. We can witness the confidence of this person making a statement: one can go and ask any professors in Bharat’s [India’s] universities about the average IQ levels of Somalis. Feel proud about being a Bharatian [Indian]."

Ex-journalist Mussarat Zia also remarked, “This is such chaste Hindi he is speaking. Brilliant" (His Hindi is very pure and flawless. Brilliant).

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