Leo Varadkar's relatives in India rejoice as he becomes Ireland prime minister

Shubhada Varadkar is wondering what she can gift to her cousin Leo Varadkar, who has taken over as the new prime minister of Ireland.

Having gifted books to her cousin earlier, she said now the situation has changed.

"We watched the oath ceremony on TV yesterday. We were almost glued to the television. It is indeed a moment full of joy, happiness and pride for the entire Varadkar family," said Shubhada, who lives in suburban Borivali.

"I am planning to visit the UK in August, and hopefully I will get a chance to (go to Ireland and) meet him, now the prime minister of Ireland.

"In one of our previous meetings, I had gifted him (Nehru's) 'Discovery of India', and I was pleased to know that he knows a lot about India as a democratic country and its historic moments.

"But I am wondering what should I gift him now, as a PM whether he would find the time to read... And as a PM, he can get anything whenever he wants," she said.

Vasant Varadkar, Leo's distant cousin from Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra, said, "We have shared our feelings and wishes with Leo's father Ashok. We are in touch with him and we keep exchanging messages from time to time.

"Our wish is that one day Leo as the PM of Ireland should come to his village Varad in Sindhudurg district. It would be the biggest day of our life."

Leo Varadkar, Ireland's first Indian-origin premier, yesterday officially took over from Enda Kenny as Taoiseach, as the Irish prime ministerial title is known, after a parliamentary vote in Dublin confirmed him as the leader by 57 votes to 50, with 47 abstentions.

He is the youngest and the first openly gay prime minister of the Catholic-majority country.

His father Ashok, hails from Varad, a village in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.