Actor Avika Gor has checked a milestone off her bucket list. The 27-year-old was invited to represent the Indian entertainment industry at a special lunch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence, in honour of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s state visit on August 1.

“The minute we met, PM Chinh told me, ‘Of course I recognize you’. It was beautiful,” she gushes, adding, “I spoke to Modi ji in Gujarati, we have that connection.”

Gor, who shot to fame for her roles in television shows like Balika Vadhu and Sasural Simar Ka, is used to recognition from Indian fans. “But getting this response from (the Vietnamese attendees) and being in that space with both PMs just melted my heart,” she shares.

Recalling how she nearly missed out on this opportunity, the actor says, “When I got the first call, I thought somebody was joking... Later, I responded by saying I was in Mumbai, not Delhi and wouldn’t be able to make it. But my dad pushed me,” adding, “I’ve dreamt of speaking about my country and representing the industry, but all of it happening this early in my career wasn’t in my plan... It validated that I’m on the right path.”