Gulabi Meenakari, black pottery, ittar, Kashmiri carpet among PM Modi's gifts for world leaders at G7 meet

PM Modi leaves for UAE after the G7 Summit in Germany

For foreign dignitaries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often chosen gifts that showcase India's rich cultural and artistic traditions, and it was no different this time as he picked a variety of products for the heads of governments at the G7 Summit.

It was distinct artistic products identified with different regions of Uttar Pradesh and other states which featured heavily in his choices, with the United States President receiving Gulabi Meenakari, a GI-tagged artform of Varanasi, cufflink set and brooch and the German Chancellor getting metal marodi-carving matka, considered a masterpiece from Moradabad, official sources said on Tuesday.

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PM Modi gifted black pottery pieces, which are from Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh, to the Japan's Prime Minister and platinum-painted tea set with work done by hand to his British counterpart, they said.

He gifted ittar (perfume derived from natural sources) bottles in zardozi box, crafted in Lucknow, to the French President and marble inlay, roots in Agra, table top to the Italian prime minister.

Noting that the tradition of hand-weaving is passed down from mother to daughter in Senegal, sources said PM Modi chose moonj baskets and cotton durries (heavy run) for the country's President. The practice is considered a vehicle for cultural expression and family livelihood driven by strong women, the sources said, adding the products have origin in UP's Prayagraj, Sultanpur and Amethi districts.

With Ramayana tradition an enduring part of Indonesian culture, PM Modi gifted lacquerware "Ram Durbar" to its President. The GI tagged lacquerware art-form has its roots in the temple town of Varanasi, which is incidentally the constituency PM Modi represents in the Lok Sabha.