Who is Salah Ahmed Jama? Somalia Deputy PM, who studied in India, goes viral for fluent Hindi at Davos

Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama stuns everyone with fluent Hindi at Davos.

Amid packed schedules, closed-door meetings and high-level diplomacy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, one unexpected moment has captured global attention which is Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama speaking fluent Hindi to an Indian journalist.

The now-viral clip comes from an interview with India Today, where Jama begins responding to a question not in English, but in confident, conversational Hindi, leaving the journalist visibly stunned. Reacting to the surprise, the reporter asks how the Somali leader managed to master the language so fluently. Jama said, "India shaped some of the best years of my life."

My interview with @IndiaToday’s @SardesaiRajdeep on the sidelines of #WEF26 in #Davos. pic.twitter.com/eIEpIqTVPR

— Salah Jama (@SalahJama) January 23, 2026

The Deputy Prime Minister revealed that he studied in Pune, Hyderabad and even in Delhi during his formative years. In a moment that further impressed Indian audiences online, Jama casually noted that Hyderabad was part of Andhra Pradesh when he studied there, and is now in Telangana after the state’s bifurcation, a detail that signalled his close awareness of India’s political evolution.

The video has since travelled widely across social media, drawing praise not just for Jama’s Hindi, but for what many see as a quiet example of India’s cultural and educational soft power.

Who is Salah Ahmed Jama?

Salah Jama is a senior Somali politician currently serving as Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, a position he assumed on August 2, 2022, under Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre. Over the years, he has held several key portfolios, including Minister of Labour and Minister of Constitutional Affairs. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and later as a Senator in Somalia’s Upper House, playing a role in constitutional and governance-related reforms.

His academic journey spans continents. After spending part of his youth in India, Jama moved to Ottawa, Canada, where he completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science and Developmental Studies at Carleton University. His work focused on peacebuilding, governance and post-conflict state-building. He also worked as a teacher and research assistant and has published research on democratization in fragile states.

Online reactions have poured in following the Hindi-speaking clip. One user summed up the mood, calling it a powerful reminder that India’s influence often travels home with students, not just through degrees or visas, but through shared lived experiences that quietly build lasting bridges between nations.