PM Modi welcomes Xi in Tamil Nadu's traditional 'veshti'
Chennai, Oct 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mamallapuram near here, wearing Tamil Nadu's traditional veshti (dhoti), which drew praise RPT drew praise from Pattali Makkal Katchi and others.
Modi, who reached Mamallapuram ahead of Xi by a chopper, received the Chinese leader at Arjuna's penance monument.
Attired in a striking Tamil traditional 'karai veshti' (dhoti with a border in green), angavastram (a shawl), and a half sleeve white shirt, the Prime Minister shook hands with Xi as the two leaders exchanged pleasantries.
The Chinese leader wore a full sleeve white shirt and black trousers.
Pattali Makkal Katchi founder leader S Ramadoss said the Prime Minister donning veshti, the traditional dress of Tamils, was a thing of joy.
"Let the world know the culture of Tamils," he said in his twitter handle.
Karnataka Culture and Toursim Minister C T Ravi tweeted: "Respecting the Culture and Traditions of the Land He visits comes naturally to PM @narendramodi. He is seen here comfortably moving around in the traditional attire of Tamil Makkal (meaning people)."
Later, as he conversed with his Chinese counterpart at the Five Rathas monument, the Prime Minister offered a tender coconut to the visiting foreign dignitary and the two leaders relished the drink, considered good for health.
Earlier, Xi was treated to Tamil cultural performances by folk dancers and Bharatanatyam artistes while scores of children greeted him by waving Indian and Chinese flags as he arrived here and later drove to seaside resort town of Mamallapuram on Friday.
The Chinese president was accorded a red carpet welcome at the airport here on his arrival and received by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minsiter O Panneerselvam and Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal.
About 500 Tamil folk artistes rendered performances, including "tappattam," and "poi kal kuthirai" while a group of colourfully dressed women presented a Bharatanatyam programme to the accompaniment of 'thavil' and 'nadaswaram' (traditional percussion and wind instruments respectively) music.
A smiling Xi waved at the artistes as he paused briefly before moving on slowly.
Temple priests with traditional honours greeted him before he boarded his car.
PM @narendramodi and President Xi Jinping are at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mamallapuram. pic.twitter.com/ejVC1aBtxH
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2019
#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit group of temples at Mahabalipuram. The group of monuments at Mahabalipuram is prescribed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/Yf8mHXCxh5
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019
The #ChennaiConnect!
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2019
PM @narendramodi welcomes President Xi Jinping at Arjuna's Penance in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/wS06sEWCTU
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP hospital fire: PM Modi announces ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for next of kin of each deceased
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the death of children in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased.
At least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of the medical college in Jhansi district, officials said, as 16 others injured battled for life on Saturday.
District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar told reporters that the fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College possibly due to an electrical short circuit.
"Heartbreaking! The fire accident at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to those who lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss," Modi was quoted as saying in a post in Hindi on X by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
"The local administration, under the supervision of the state government, is making every possible effort for relief and rescue," he said.
In another post, the PMO said Prime Minister Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in the fire accident at the Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh.
The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PMO said.
The children, who were in the outer part of the NICU, were rescued along with some of those who were in the interior part.
"Prima facie there is information of the death of 10 children," the DM said.
Those less critical are admitted in the outer section of the NICU while the more critical patients are kept in the interior part, he added.
