INDIA @ G20 SUMMIT IN RIO: It was an emotional moment for the Indian community as it was the first time the diaspora in Brazil got an opportunity to meet-and-greet the Prime Minister since his first visit to Brazil in 2014
Our Bureau
Rio de Janeiro
In an impressive show of its presence in the biggest South American country, the Indian community in Brazil gave a rousing welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he landed here on Sunday, November 17, to participate in the Summit of G20 leaders on November 18-19.
Received at the Rio international airport by Ambassador Suresh Reddy and Consul General Hansraj Verma along with their spouses, the Prime Minister’s cavalcade drove straight to the iconic Hotel Nacional where a large number Indians had been waiting for Mr Modi with enthusiasm.
Hailing from Rio, Sao Paulo, Campinas, Brasilia, Curitiba and other cities, the crowd broke into chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ as soon the Prime Minister alighted from his vehicle and greeted the gathering with folded hands. Walking on the red carpet in the massive foyer of the hotel, the Prime Minister shook hands, spoke with children, signed on his portrait and exchanged greetings with the community members who introduced themselves to Mr Modi.
It was an emotional moment for the Indian community as it was the first time the diaspora in Brazil got an opportunity to meet-and-greet the Prime Minister since his first visit to Brazil in 2014. The Indian community, mostly based in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and a few other cities, all came together for the occasion. A group of Indian children from three different cities performed ‘Vande Mataram’ as the Prime Minister stood still on the red carpet as a mark of respect for the national song.
The group of children comprising Dhyana Trivedi, Jiyana Kartik, Jaineel Kartik, Pihoo Modi and Samaira Bagaria from Campinas; Saanvi Bhonde and Anuja Ghosh from Sao Paulo; and Riyaarth Prateek, Rivaansh Prateek, Sanvika Shrivastava, Ozil Olum Pegu, Keya Chauhan, Kanish Chauhan, Abraao Amrit Chandrahas and Anshuman Das from Rio de Janeiro smiled with joy as Mr Modi stopped by their stage to talk with them. The Prime Minister also took group photos with the children and Mrs Ratnabali Adhikari, a musician and senior member of the community who worked tirelessly for days to train the children to give a flawless performance.
Chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ continued to ring in the hotel’s foyer as Mr Modi walked on the U-shaped red carpet, shaking hands with the large number of people who had come from different parts of Brazil to greet the Prime Minister.
The highlight of the evening was a Garba-Dandiya performance by a group of Indian ladies led by well-known Kathak instructor Gyaneshree Karahe who also trained the group comprising Pooja Shah, Abha Joshi, Ramya Hegde, Jalak Modi, Mmahi Trivedi, Priya Dagia, Rajani Sinha, Sneha Prateek and Madhu Chauhan. The Prime Minister watched the entire dance which had variations of Garba and Dandiya. Praising the performance, Mr Modi engaged in a chat with the dance group before taking the steps into the hotel lobby where he was welcomed with the chanting of Vedic mantras by a Brazilian group led by Acharya Jonas Masetti ‘Vishvanath’.
The welcome event, organized by the Embassy of India (Brasilia) and Consulate of India (Sao Paulo) in collaboration with the Indian Association of Sao Paulo (IASP), was hugely successful and people were visibly moved by their meeting with PM Modi. The excitement of meeting the Prime Minister so closely energized the gathering, which comprised CEOs of Indian firms, academics, artists, traders, consultants, and homemakers among others.
The entire Indian community worked hard for the day and contributed with their presence at the event. A core team of IASP President Shobhan Saxena, Cultural Director Vijay Bavaskar, Kartik Parikh and Pooja Kartik from Campinas, and Pooja Shah from Rio de Janeiro coordinated the unforgettable event.
