New Delhi, October 1 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived early on Tuesday morning at the Gandhi statue located in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington to pay tribute.
A large number of Indian-Americans were present to welcome the prime minister who was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj when he arrived at the Indian Embassy to pay tribute to the Gandhi statue in front of the mission.
He also waved at the crowd that had gathered at the venue. The Indian delegation comprising of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh and India’s Ambassador to the United States S. Jaishankar and his wife, besides embassy officials and staff were also present on the occasion.
On the last day of his five-day visit to the US, the prime minister will meet US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and separately the Governor of Maryland state. Today is also being observed as US-India Partnership Day.
Thereafter Modi will go to the White House for the official bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama. The two are expected to issue a joint statement at the end of the meeting.
Modi is also scheduled to address a reception hosted by the US India Business Council (USIBC). The prime minister is also likely to visit the Martin Luther King Memorial here.
Martin Luther King, was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. King is an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the US and around the world, using non-violent resistance inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
Earlier, Modi met US President Barack Obama on Monday. “Kem Cho” — this is how Obama welcomed Modi in Gujarati at the doorstep of the White House, ahead of the rare private dinner hosted in his honour.
“Thank you very much, President”, Modi responded as the two leaders shook hands and walked inside. “Kem cho”, which means ‘how are you’, is a common greeting among Gujaratis.
As Obama hosted Modi for dinner, the local Indian-Americans celebrated the Modi-Obama meeting by organising a cultural event and performing “Garba” dance in front of the White House. Set in an informal ambiance, the dinner was the first opportunity for both the leaders to interact with each other.
Both the leaders were joined by 20 attendees at the dinner. The president was joined by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan Rice among others.
-INDIA TODAY
