Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam to visit Varanasi today

New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam is set to arrive in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday.

Upon his arrival in Varanasi at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, he will be welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and other senior state officials.

Mauritian Prime Minister arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday for a State visit to India to further strengthen the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

The highlight of his visit will be a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi on September 11.

According to official sources, Ramgoolam will spend September 10 to 12 in the holy city of Varanasi. During this time, he will participate in cultural and spiritual activities, including attending the iconic Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple on September 12.

Following his visit to Kashi, he is scheduled to travel to Ayodhya to pay respects at the Ram Temple site.

Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam confirmed that all preparations for the high-profile visit have been completed. “Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam will reach Kashi on September 10. PM Modi will also arrive on September 11 for bilateral discussions,” Rajalingam said.

On September 11, after the bilateral talks in Varanasi, PM Modi is expected to depart, while PM Ramgoolam will stay back to witness the Ganga Aarti from a cruise on the Ganga river.

The visit underscores the strong cultural and diplomatic ties between India and Mauritius, a country with deep historical connections to India, especially through its large Indian-origin population.

Later in the week, Ramgoolam will attend a business event in Mumbai and conclude his India tour with a spiritual visit to Tirupati.

Earlier, Ramgoolam had visited India in 2014, as the only non-SAARC leader invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi and the Council of Ministers.

PM Modi went to Mauritius in March for a two-day State visit at the invitation of Ramgoolam to attend the country's 57th National Day celebrations.

--IANS

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