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Modi presented special gifts to world leaders to showcase India’s rich culture and diversity during his whirlwind three-nation tour.
Prime Minister embarked on a whirlwind diplomatic tour to Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana, where he met 31 world leaders. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently embarked on a whirlwind five-day international tour in Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana, where he met as many as 31 world leaders. He presented the leaders with special gifts from India that showcased the country’s rich heritage and diversity.
The Prime Minister’s visits are not merely to serve bilateral interests, but also to ensure that India’s cultural heritage, traditions, art and spirituality are acknowledged and celebrated throughout the world. In this spirit, every foreign visit of PM Modi has transformed into a celebration of India’s unity in diversity.
The prime minister held a bilateral meeting in Nigeria and 10 bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil with leaders from Brazil, Indonesia, Portugal, Italy, Norway, France, the UK and more. Thereafter, during the visit to Guyana, he held nine bilateral meetings.
In his recent tour, PM Modi carried unique gifts for world leaders – eight from Maharashtra, five from Jammu and Kashmir, three each from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand and one each from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Ladakh.
PM Modi’s Gifts: A Blend Of Culture And Diplomacy
PM Modi gifted a Silofar Panchamrit Kalash (Pot) to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a stunning example of traditional craftsmanship from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The intricately designed kalash is made from high-quality silver and features elegant engravings that display Kolhapur’s renowned metalwork.
He also presented Brazil President Lula da Silva with Warli paintings – a tribal art form originating from the Warli tribe primarily located in the Dahanu, Talasari and Palghar regions of Maharashtra.
The Prime Minister also gifted a Natural Rough Amethyst with a Silver Camel Head on Top from Pune to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. He also presented a hand-carved Silver Chess Set with a traditional design to Portuguese PM Luis Montenegro.
Modi also gifted an exquisite Silver Candle Stand to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and a hand-engraved Silver Fruit Bowl featuring intricate depictions of a peacock and a tree to CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Natalie Barnett.
Prime Minister Modi showcased the vibrant culture of Jammu and Kashmir by gifting a pair of papier-mâché gold work vases to Britain’s Keir Starmer, a pashmina shawl in a papier-mâché box to Guyana’s First Lady Arya Ali and a Kashmiri Saffron in the customised gift hamper given to leaders of CARICOM Countries.
His gifts from Andhra Pradesh included a Silver Clutch Purse studded with semi-precious stones handcrafted with intricate floral motif designs to Brazil President Lula’s spouse and Araku Coffee, which is grown by indigenous communities in the Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, in a customised gift hamper given to leaders of CARICOM countries.
He also gifted a Sohrai painting from Hazaribagh – well-renowned for its depiction of animals, birds, and nature and being a reflection of the agrarian lifestyle and the reverence for wildlife in tribal culture, to Nigeria’s Vice President. He also gave a Khovar painting – a traditional art form that originates from the tribal regions of Jharkhand – to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Modi’s gifts from Rajasthan included a Silver Photo Frame for Argentinian President Javier Milei that comprised of floral Work showcasing the state’s rich heritage of detailed metalwork and traditional motifs. He gifted a Marble Inlay Work’, also known as ‘Pietra Dura’ with the base marble sourced from Makrana in Rajasthan, to Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre, and a Gold Work Wooden Raj Sawari figurine – a magnificent representation of traditional Indian craftsmanship, combining intricate gold work with finely carved wood, to Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips.
Other gifts include a Finely Fretted and Engraved Silver and Rosewood Ceremonial Photo Frame from Uttar Pradesh, for the President of Chile, a wooden toy train, a signature product from Channapatnaa, a small town in Karnataka, given to the younger son of Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali and a Tanjore Painting from Tamil Nadu for French President Emmanuel Macron.
He also gifted a Madhubani painting, also known as Mithila painting, a traditional art form originating from the Mithila region of Bihar, to Guyana President Ali, a rare and exquisitely crafted Filigree Boat made of pure silver – a fine example of the centuries-old silver filigree art practised in Cuttack, Odisha, to Vice President of Guyana, and a Ladakhi kettle adorned with semi-precious stones, given to Speaker of National Assembly of Guyana.