PM Modi in US: Indian Americans make big plans to welcome NaMo; check details

Indian Americans across the United States are eagerly preparing to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his upcoming historic state visit to the country. Organisers have announced plans for an 'India Unity Day' march to be held in 20 major cities on June 18, two days before the Prime Minister's arrival.

Prime Minister Modi's state visit holds significant importance as it marks his first visit to the US since President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden extended the invitation. The visit will include a state dinner hosted by the US President and First Lady on June 22 to honour the Prime Minister.

Community leader Adapa Prasad, the national president of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) USA, expressed the Indian American community's excitement about Prime Minister Modi's visit. 

He highlighted the planned 'India Unity Day' march from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, where people will gather to welcome Modi. Similar marches will also take place in 20 other prominent cities across the nation, including New York's Times Square and San Francisco's Golden Bridge.

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Prasad emphasised that the Indian American community, representing various sections, has united to make the Prime Minister's visit a memorable and proud occasion. Special events are being organised in New York and Washington DC, the primary destinations on Modi's itinerary.

The welcoming festivities will include a cultural extravaganza at Lafayette Square Park, where diverse Indian American groups and organisations will showcase India's rich cultural heritage. The evening of June 21 will witness a grand cultural event spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in front of the White House, highlighting India's growth and development in the past nine years.

On June 22, a historic moment awaits as several thousand Indian Americans are expected to gather on the South Lawns of the White House to witness President Biden and the First Lady extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Modi with a 21-gun salute. This invitation marks the first time a country-specific diaspora has been invited to the White House in such large numbers.

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Indian American leaders, including prominent figures like Ajay Bhutoria and Ashok Mago, have expressed their delight at the visit, emphasising the strong partnership and enduring friendship between India and the United States. They believe the visit will pave the way for further collaboration in areas of mutual interest such as technology, trade, education, and clean energy.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US holds immense significance, as it precedes India's hosting of the G20 Summit in September. Over the years, Modi has engaged in several bilateral and multilateral meetings with American presidents, but this official state visit exemplifies the close friendship and alliance between the two nations.

(With agency inputs)