Why Modi's first Singapore meal was at a 1947 tiffin shop

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his state visit to Singapore in November 2015, Lee Hsien Loong took him to breakfast at Komala Vilas, the 1947 vegetarian tiffin shop on Serangoon Road. They had dosa and filter coffee. The choice puzzled some commentators — why not a state dining room or a luxury hotel? But the symbolism was layered: a Tamil restaurant that had served ordinary Indian Singaporeans through every era of Singapore's history; a reminder that Singapore's relationship with India is older than either modern state. Modi tweeted from the booth. Global media covered the breakfast. The owners later said they had no advance warning — they were told only that 'an important visitor' would be coming.