Jaishankar concludes Trinidad visit; highlights cultural links, development partnerships
Port of Spain (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted India's close cultural and historical ties with Trinidad and Tobago as he concluded his visit to the Caribbean nation with a series of engagements focused on diaspora outreach and development cooperation.
Jaishankar on Saturday interacted with members of the Indian community and underlined the “special bonds” shared with the Girmitya community, descendants of Indian indentured labourers who had migrated to the Caribbean during the colonial era.
"Concluded my visit with an interaction with the Indian community. Underlined the special bonds with the Girmitya community and discussed nurturing it further," he said in a social media post.
Jaishankar said India is a “reliable and trusted partner”, responsive to the needs and aspirations of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to the website of the Indian High Commission here, approximately 143,000 indentured workers from the Indian subcontinent migrated to Trinidad between 1845 and 1917. A vast majority of these Indian emigrants came from northern India and Bihar.
The descendants of those indentured workers, now in their fifth or sixth generation, form nearly 40-45 per cent of the total population of 1.36 million (as of 2024), constituting an integral part of the country's economic, political, and social fabric, it states.
Jaishankar had arrived in Port of Spain from Paramaribo on Friday on the concluding leg of his three-nation tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at deepening India’s engagement with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier on Saturday, Jaishankar visited the Dattatreya Mandir, where he offered prayers for the well-being of the people and for stronger India-Trinidad and Tobago relations.
The Dattatreya Mandir is a prominent Hindu temple in central Trinidad known for housing an 85-foot statue of Lord Hanuman.
In another post on X, the minister described his interaction with the Indo-Trinbagonian community in South Trinidad as a “home away from home”.
“A real pleasure to be among the Indo-Trinbagonian community in South Trinidad. The kinship was expressed in so many ways. And the affection, in even more,” he said, while thanking Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the experience.
Jaishankar also launched a permanent prosthetics centre in Penal town jointly with Persad-Bissessar, following the success of India's Jaipur Foot camp in the country that benefited over 800 persons with disabilities.
The Jaipur Foot is a low-cost prosthetic limb initiative that has helped thousands of differently-abled people across the world regain mobility.
Describing the prosthetics centre as a “people-centric project”, Jaishankar, in a social media post, said it is a "gift of mobility and dignity for Trinidad and the wider CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) region."
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Deepika Kumari leads Indian recurve archery team to dramatic World Cup gold
Shanghai (PTI): The Indian trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and teenager Kumkum Mohod held their nerve in a tense shoot-off to beat home favourites China and clinch the women's recurve team gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 here on Sunday.
In a final marked by fluctuating fortunes, India edged past the home side 5-4 (28-26) in the shoot-off after the four-set regulation ended 4-4.
The victory was especially sweeter as India had earlier stunned record 10-time Olympic champions South Korea in the semifinals en route to their first World Cup women's team gold since 2021.
Deepika, who was also part of India's World Cup-winning teams in Guatemala City and Paris in 2021, now has seven World Cup team gold medals to her name since 2010.
It was also the Indian women recurve team's first World Cup medal in three years, its previous podium finish coming in Stage 4 in Paris in 2023 where Ankita was a member of the winning team.
India's campaign in Shanghai has thus already yielded two medals after compound archer Sahil Jadhav opened the country's account, securing a bronze on Saturday.
India also remained in contention for another podium finish later in the day with recurve archer Simranjeet Kaur set to compete in the semifinals. She is a win away from her maiden individual World Cup medal.
Travelling without a full-time national coach amid the continuing impasse over appointments, it was the vastly experienced Deepika who led from the front, constantly motivating her teammates during breaks and changeovers.
Prafull Dange, who was the designated women's recurve coach after his ward Kumkum topped the national trials, largely remained in the background as Deepika guided the side through the pressure moments against a hostile home crowd and vocal Chinese support staff.
Against a young Chinese side comprising Zhu Jingyi, Huang Yuwei and teenage archer Yu Qi, who all made their World Cup debuts only last year, India looked in control initially but nearly let the match slip after taking the opening set (54-53).
Shooting last in the Indian order, Deepika set the tone with successive 10s as India edged the first set despite Ankita (8-8) and 17-year-old Kumkum (10-8) putting up an inconsistent show.
Deepika continued her fine rhythm in the second set with another perfect 10 as India briefly held a one-point advantage (28-27) midway through the end. But China responded strongly with two 9s and a 10 in their final three arrows of the second set to post 55.
Ankita replied with a 9, but Kumkum managed only an 8, leaving Deepika needing a 10 to level the set.
The four-time Olympian, however, slipped to a 7 as India lost the set 52-55 and China drew level at 2-2.
The hosts then moved ahead in the third set. The teams were initially tied at 56, but a review upgraded China's final arrow from 8 to 9, handing them the set 57-56 and a 4-2 lead.
India appeared on the verge of defeat in the fourth set despite Deepika rediscovering her touch with two 10s. Kumkum's final arrow landed in the 7-ring as India posted a modest 54.
China required two 10s and a 9 from their last three arrows to seal the match.
Zhu and Huang delivered perfect 10s, leaving 18-year-old Yu Qi needing a 9 for victory in front of the home crowd.
But the youngster shot an 8, allowing India a dramatic escape and forcing a shoot-off.
The Indians peaked at the right moment in the decider. Ankita opened with a 9, Kumkum followed with a superb 10, and Deepika calmly delivered a 9 when only an 8 was needed to seal the title.
