The public reception for US President Donald Trump in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat will include an exhibition of Mahatma Gandhi’s life and 28 snippets from India’s rich and diverse culture in a manner “unparalleled” in history.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said at a press briefing that “the highlight of the programme in Ahmedabad will be the exhibition of India’s rich and diverse culture and heritage to President Trump in a public manner that has few parallels in India or elsewhere.”
The February 24-25 trip will be Trump’s first state visit to India and also a first standalone visit by a US President to India. Trump’s visit will be brief but intense, with all essential elements of a state visit squeezed in 36 hours. Besides New Delhi, Trump will visit Ahmedabad and Agra during his two-day trip. Trump will be in the city on Monday by noon along with First Lady Melania Trump, his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner and a galaxy of top US officials to attend the “Namaste Trump” event.
From the moment of Trump and First Lady Melania’s arrival at the airport on February 24, the delegates will be treated to a display of famed Indian hospitality and India’s unity in diversity, Shringla said.
In his honour, an event that has been named ‘Namaste Trump’ will be held at the newly reconstructed, largest cricket stadium in the world at Motera. The event will be similar to the ‘Howdy Modi’ event which was hosted by the Indian-American community for Modi in Houston last year.
In what is being billed as the great ‘Indian roadshow’, as many as 28 stages representing various parts of the country are being set up along Trump’s route from the airport to the stadium in Ahmedabad.
The massive crowd turnout expectations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “Namaste Trump” event here on Monday will be in the hands of Sarpanchs and government school teachers whom Gujarat government has assigned the key responsibility.
The show will depict different events in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Tens of thousands of people, including artists showcasing their art from different states and Union Territories, are expected to greet Trump along the way.
In his maiden visit to India, US President will spend his first 15 minutes at “Hriday Kunj”, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed for 13 years, where he is expected to reach at around 12.30 p.m. on Monday directly from Ahmedabad International Airport before attending the “Namaste Trump” event at the Motera stadium.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will visit Sabarmati Ashram, the house from where Mahatama Gandhi led his salt ‘Satyagraha’, 90 years ago. The entire roadshow for the mega event will now be 22 kms long.
Trump will get “sand carpet” welcome in place of red carpet as per the guidelines of the Ashram. The US President will offer a “Sutmala” on the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi at the Ashram before Prime Minister Narendra Modi will brief him about “Hriday Kunj” and introduce a sizable collection of manuscripts of Gandhi’s writings during his stay here. Informing about the ‘Hriday Kunj’, this is the place where Mahatma and his wife Kasturba Gandhi spent 13 years of their life between June 1917 and March 12, 1930 — the day he organised famous Dandi march alongwith 78 Ashram residents.
Photoops were visible whole day at the front gate of Motera cricket stadium where preparations were on full swing on Sunday to host US President Donal Trump on Monday at ‘Namaste Trump’ mega event. But, it was a historic moment for Aurangabad resident Nitesh Gupta who delayed his skin treatment only to be part of it.
The food items and drinks that are being prepared for the US President Donald Trump’s visit to Gujarat’s Sabarmati Ashram include khaman dhokla, special Gujarati ginger tea, broccoli and corn samosa, ice tea, green tea and multigrain cookies.
Melania Trump will be touring the classrooms of Delhi government schools on 25th February. As per the ruling party in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the names of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia were dropped from Melania Trump’s visit to a school which runs Delhi government’s ‘happiness curriculum’. The First Lady chose the school for its unique curriculum which was introduced by Sisodia two years ago to reduce stress among school children.
From Ahmedabad, Trump and his wife will fly to Agra where they will spend an hour at India’s iconic monument Taj Mahal before the sunset.
On February 25, the US President and the First Lady will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. This will be followed by a visit to Rajghat where the couple will pay respects at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi will hold restricted and delegation-level talks on strategic partnerships at the Hyderabad House. Later, Modi will host a lunch for Trump, following which the two leaders will address the media.
In the afternoon, Trump is expected to attend certain private events at the US Embassy, including a private roundtable with industry representatives. Trump’s last meeting will be with President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the evening before he leaves for the US.
As US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at the Ahmedabad airport next week, they will be welcomed by a ‘Shankhnaad’ recital or playing of the conches along with dance performances, the Gujarat government said.
Around 19 artists will be performing the ‘Shankhnaad’ as soon as Trump emerges out of Air Force One, the official aircraft of the US president, on their arrival. The entire airport area will reverberate with conch tunes believed to be the sound of the ‘Brahmnaad’.
The Trumps will be welcomed in traditional Gujarati style. Right from Air Force One, six dance troupes along both sides of the 150 feet wide red carpet, will perform ‘Beda Nritya’, ‘Janaviya Dhol’, ‘Par Beda dance’, ‘Dhol Bhoongli Shehnai’, ‘Phool Mandavi’, ‘Jaagwali ladies’ comprising 116 artists.
Besides that, on the sprawling lawns across the airport, 256 artists from 14 troupes will perform dances depicting the traditional culture of Gujarat. “The US President will be directly flying to Ahmedabad right from Washington. More than one lakh people will be attending the ‘Namaste Trump’ event. This will be a historical event for Gujarat,” said Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
The theme of Donald Trump-Narendra Modi roadshow has been named ‘Unity in Diversity’, which will depict the cultural diversity of India.
They will arrive at the world’s biggest cricket stadium at 2.20 p.m, after spending time at the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati.
After the ‘Namaste Trump’ event, the Trump couple will arrive at the Ahmedabad airport at 3.10 p.m. to leave for Agra. After seeing them off, the Prime Minister will leave for Delhi.
A high-level business delegation will also be accompanying Trump.
“It’s an honour for us that the US President is beginning his two-day visit at Ahmedabad. When both the country’s security services are taking care of the security arrangements, as the state government, we are providing all the support and cooperation to all the arrangements,” said Nitin Patel, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Taj city on February 24, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has mounted a massive image makeover of the city, which people say is unprecedented.
Responding to yellowing and dirt patches charges by local environmentalists, the Archaeological Survey of India has undertaken cleaning up of the monument in a big way, using the mud pack therapy to remove dark spots. The Taj Mahal should be ready by Friday, officials indicated on Thursday.
District authorities said more than 3,000 artists from Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan will present cultural programmes along the way, including Ram Lila, Ras Lila, Panchkula, Nautanki. Over 20,000 school kids who have been screened, will line up the route with flags to bring cheer and add to the festivities.
The administrative officials said beggars in the city have been forced out of the city. The MG Road and the VIP road from the Kheria airport to the Taj Mahal will be sanitised and beggar less.
It will be a memorable visit in many respects, say tourism industry captains. Tourism should get a big boost with this visit, they hoped.
The state of preparedness and competence of the local administration and the security apparatus will also be tested, they said.
IANS
