Full Breakdown
Donald Tusk’s Emotional Reunion with Bengaluru’s Blind Children Highlights India-Poland Ties
By Drooid · · How we work
Reunion at Jyothi Seva Residential School
During the final day of his three-day official visit to India, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled to Bengaluru on October 23, 2026 and met the students of the Jyothi Seva Residential School for the Visually Impaired. The children, now adults, performed Poland’s national anthem, “Mazurek Dabrowskiego,” prompting tears from both the students and the visiting delegation.
Background: 2010 Visit
The 2026 reunion revisited a trip made in 2010 when Tusk, accompanied by his wife Malgorzata Tusk, visited the same centre, which is run by Franciscan sisters, including several from Poland. At that time the children were aged between six and thirteen and sang the Polish anthem, an event that left a lasting impression on the delegation.
Timeline
- October 21 – 23, 2026 – Tusk’s official India visit, including meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
- October 22, 2026 – Meeting with Indian officials in New Delhi.
- October 23, 2026 – Arrival in Bengaluru, meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and reunion with the visually impaired alumni.
Data & Statistics
- 16 years elapsed between the original 2010 visit and the 2026 reunion.
- The children, who were 6-13 years old in 2010, are now adults who still recall the anthem’s lyrics.
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Tusk used the reunion to underscore the personal bonds that complement diplomatic ties. He noted that the children’s continued memory of “Mazurek Dabrowskiego” symbolised the enduring connection between Poland and India. In the same Bengaluru forum, Tusk called for the strategic partnership announced in August 2024 to move beyond traditional trade and evolve into joint ventures in technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and aerospace. He highlighted Bengaluru’s role as a global innovation hub and suggested that Polish expertise in software, cloud solutions and satellite data could combine with India’s large IT services sector to create export-ready products.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today they are already adults, but they still remember the words of Mazurek Dabrowskiego. Both they and I, we all had tears in our eyes today.” — Donald Tusk, polish prime minister
- “Both they and I, we all had tears in our eyes today,” — Donald Tusk, polish prime minister
- “Let's not just use the technologies of the future; let's create them together and introduce them to global markets together,” — Mr. Tusk, polish prime minister
What’s Next
Tusk announced that Poland will return to the Bengaluru Tech Summit in November to pursue concrete joint-venture projects, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven industrial automation and space-technology collaborations. He reiterated the Polish government’s readiness to support entrepreneurs seeking partners, financing and market access across both countries.