Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for the US and Indian-Americans are enthusiastic to welcome him for this historic visit, with preparations underway on a grand scale.
After PM Modi lands in the US, a group of people are expected to greet him at the Andrews Air Force Base. PM Modi will lead a Yoga Day event at the UN headquarters in New York. From there, he will head to Washington.
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Several thousand Indians are expected to attend the welcome ceremony on the South Lawns of the White House on Thursday when President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will welcome him in Washington DC.
Preparations on in full swing
More than 160 artists have been rehearsing since last week to stage as many as 25 cultural programmes representing 15 Indian states. Most of them are dances, songs and musicals reflecting the rich cultural diversity of India. The performances would be staged at the Freedom Plaza near the White House, according to Adapa Prasad, president of Overseas Friends of BJP-USA.
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“It is India’s diverse cultural show and growth story. We have roughly 25 programs representing Kashmir to Kerala and Maharashtra to the northeast with 160 artists participating,” Adapa said
The Indian community in New Jersey is preparing a colourful welcome for him. At the Ved Mandir, the area’s oldest Hindu temple, a group has gathered to handcraft a 20-feet long Tricolor themed floral garland. For this, freshly picked flowers from nearby farms were sourced by the community, ANI reported.
Celebrations kickstarted well in advance
A few hundred Indian-Americans from in and around the Washington DC area gathered near the National Monument on a bright sunny Sunday to convey a message of unity and tell the Prime Minister that they are eagerly waiting for his arrival in the city.
Chanting slogans of “Modi Modi” and India-US friendship, they walked in a procession for over an hour towards the historic Lincoln Memorial where the participants busted into an impromptu dance.
Similar scenes were visible at many iconic locations in the United States like Times Square in New York and Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The advance celebrations and the frantic search for tickets for various Modi events in Washington DC and New York is reflective of his high popularity in the country.
PM Modi will address an invitation-only gathering of diaspora leaders from across the country at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington on June 23.