A peek into Modi's gifts to G7 leaders
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to Germany to attend G7 Summit, presented its leaders with various gifts displaying India's rich art and crafts, particularly, those related to Uttar Pradesh's one-district-one-product scheme.
Modi gifted a Metal Marodi carving matka to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This nickel-coated, hand-engraved brass vessel is a masterpiece from Moradabad district. He gifted Gulabi Meenakari brooch and cufflink set to US President Joe Biden. Gulabi Meenakari is a GI-tagged art form of Varanasi. A platinum-painted, hand-painted tea set from Bulandhshahr, Uttar Pradesh was gifted by the PM to UK PM Boris Johnson. The crockery is outlined with platinum metal paint in honour of the Queen's platinum jubilee being celebrated this year.
To French President Emmanuel Macron, Modi gifted attar bottles in zardozi box. The carrier box has been crafted in Lucknow.
The zari zardozi box has been hand embroidered on khadi silk and satin tissue in colours of the French National Flag. This box included Attar Mitti, Jasmine oil, Attar Shamama, Attar Gulab, Exotic Musk, and Garam Masala. The PM gifted hand-knotted silk carpets which are famous all over the world for their softness and craftsmanship to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.
A Kashmiri Silk carpet is known for its beauty, perfectness, lushness, luxury and dedicated craftsmanship. Modi gifted Black Pottery pieces to Japan's PM, Fumio Kishida. The Black Pottery of Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh uses a special technique to bring out black colours- while the pottery is inside the oven, it is ensured that there is no scope for oxygen to enter the oven and the heat level remains high.
He gifted a marble inlay table top to Italy's PM, Mario Draghi. Pietra dura or Marble inlay has its origins in the Opus sectile- a form of pietra dura popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. This marble table top with Inlay work has its origin in Agra of Taj Mahal fame. Modi also gifted items to leaders from Indonesia, South Africa, Senegal and Argentina.
The Prime Minister gifted Dokra Art with Ramayana Theme to South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa. Dokra Art is non-ferrous metal casting art using the lost-wax casting technique. He gifted Nandi-themed Dokra Art to Argentina's President, Alberto Fernandez. Modi gifted Moonj baskets and cotton durries to Senegal's President, Macky Sall. Modi gifted lacquerware Ram Durbar to Indonesia's President, Joko Widodo.