Ahmedabad, Feb 24: US President Donald Trump arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday for the first leg of his India trip.
The Air Force One plane carrying Trump and his wife Melania landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport here at 11.37 am, officials said.
It was scheduled to land at 11.40 am.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Ahmedabad over an hour before Trump did, was present at the airport to welcome the US president at the airport.
In Ahmedabad, Trump will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, take part in a roadshow with Modi and jointly address over one lakh people at a cricket stadium, before heading for Agra to see the iconic Taj Mahal with Melania.
Trump, who is also accompanied by daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his administration, will get a taste of India's cultural melange during his high- optics Gujarat itinerary, after the bonhomie between the two leaders at the 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston last year.
The US president and Modi will participate in a roadshow from the airport to Sabarmti Ashram and from there to the newly-built Motera cricket stadium, where over a lakh people are expected to be present for the 'Namaste Trump' event.
Dance groups and singers from different parts of the country will be performing on stages that are dotting the 22- km route of the 'India roadshow' in the city.
Huge billboards of the two leaders and replicas of historic places in Gujarat have also been placed along the roads where people will greet the two leaders.
Over 10,000 police personnel, besides officials of the United States Secret Service, and personnel of the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) have been deployed for the high profile visit.
The seventh US president to visit India, Trump on Sunday retweeted a video in which his face was superimposed on the hit Indian movie-character Bahubali, showing him as a great saviour.
Modi will accompany Trump to the Sabarmati Ashram, which was home to Mahatma Gandhi from 1917-1930 during India's freedom struggle.
Several world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have visited Sabarmati Ashram in recent years.
Ashram secretary Amrut Modi said Trump will spend 15 minutes at the place.
"Trump will visit the 'Hriday Kunj'. If he wishes, he will spin a charkha (spinning wheel). We will also gift him a coffee-table book, and a book containing 150 quotations of Gandhi," the Ashram official said.
Hriday Kunj is a room on the Ashram premises where Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi had lived for 12 years between 1918 and 1930.
The official said the US President would be briefed about Gandhiji and the importance of charkha as a symbol of self-reliance.
There will be a cultural extravaganza at the Motera stadium during the 'Namaste Trump' event, where Trump and Modi will address the gathering.
Bollywood singer Kailash Kher and some Gujarati folk singers will perform at the stadium, officials of the Gujarat Cricket Association said.
Students of various government and private schools have also been roped in to perform at cultural events and they have been practicing for days, an official said.
Billboards with slogans hailing Indo-US relations and having pictures of Trump and Modi walking together, shaking hands, and waving at the crowd during the 'Howdy Modi' event are dotting the city.
Comments
one of the chut#yst man i ever seen in this news portal..do you think modi is internet email so all the people with him...first change your cow dunge to human brain and come to mangalore for treatment...
Doctor name Dr Kamath surgen 9967453786...
is it ok for you to replace with bakra brain...then dont blame muslim for that..reason we have sortage of human brain due to election
Ananth Kumar, what have you done for the people other then living the life style of the rich and famous with the poor tax payers money and warming up your seat. Nobody can match Siddaramiah he has done 100 foldes of you guys had done.. BJP leaders have nothing tangable to show that's why you guys keep bring up the watch issue. Please vote for Congress! so Siddaramiah can be our CM for a better future for the people of Karnataka.
Moustache still black by the grace of Kolesston colour but Laak chupawo Chupna sakegha Jhoota bjp walon ka jhoot ka chehra. Shakuni mamoo next mp election u will not be anywhere in Karnataka Map.
Wait and watch. first leg will be within a week and the final leg 2019 supda saap no adress of bjp or rss or u.
Anant, thu kasan sangtha maraya, lutha bais. 15 May pale Kazan zatha mum. Yeddi che chaddi votha.
Dear Ananthkumar, you are able and fit leader to be next CM of karnataka. You are always tellig the truth and open to all. We, the people of your constituency fully support you as our care taker and helping us. You are like our God Father.
Anant Kumar is 100 percent correct. Cogress will not get a single seat against the wave's of MODI and YOGI. Our great national hero leader PM Modi has already told that people of Karnataka have made their mind to kick out Congress and select only BJP in karnataka and to be followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra. I think Electon Commission should stop voting in Karnataka to save billions of Rupees as people have already informed our Leader great Modi that they will vote for BJP only. It will be a waste of money for Congress and other parties also as BJP is going to sweep almost all the seats. Our PM is a great astrologer and has dreamt about the win in Karnataka and whatever he dreams it comes true. He had dream of becomingPM of india and it became true. He also dreamed that he will visit also all the countries in the world and its nearly completing as he has left only few countries to visit. Jai Modi ji . Jai Hind.
All Bjp leadrs are day dreaming for power in karnataka which will end on 15th may 2018.Let them happy upto that day. JAI KARNATAKA JAI INDIA.NO FEAR INDIA IS OUR SLOGAN.
Ananth Kumar and Anant Kumar Hegde, both are same in mindset. always spits nonsenses
A study shows BJP is 'richest' political party and the money not in the name of party it's owned by BJP leaders individually. They are not showing it while filing nomination and they are not paying income tax also
The irony is, cow dung fools are criticising normal people
Soon BJP will be eradicated from India due to Computer baba, rapist BJP MLAs, Yogi and Feku etc
In other countries, ministers and elected persons will be highly qualified specific area focused people. Here in India, all BJP MLAs and ministers are some cow dungs
India will be free of BJP due to Modi and his MLA fools
I am not a supporter of any political leader or party. But yeah i'll definitely choose a candidate wisely while voting irrespect of his caste or party.
Mr. Ananth kumar what you know about the facilities the present govt has provided for the farmers by sitiing in Delhi?
Mr. Siddu ( I am not a suppoter of him anyway) has done Something for the farmers of his state. Dont blindnly fool the people of karnataka.
Its sad that farmers are ending their lives all over India..
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