PM Modi pays floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Bishkek

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek ahead of his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan.
According to agency reports, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2015. Modi paid his respects at the memorial before beginning his engagements related to the SCO summit.Modi also met and interacted with members of the Indian diaspora and people from various communities in Bishkek.

During the interaction, members of different communities presented Modi with a book titled *Manas: Kyrgyz Veergatha Kavya*, highlighting cultural and historical links between India and Kyrgyzstan.Danil Rykov, President of the Yoga Federation Kyrgyzstan, described the interaction as an “incredible joy” and said the cultural collaborations between the two countries could open new opportunities for future events.“It’s been such an honour to participate in the workshops and especially in the performance here,” Rykov said, adding that sharing the stage with prominent personalities was an immense joy and could help strengthen collaboration between the two cultures.
PM Modi also interacted with members of the Indian community in Bishkek.Aditya Bhushan Mitra, Director of Pylon Traders, said meeting the Prime Minister was an “incredible experience” and an opportunity to learn from distinguished teachers and personalities while showcasing Indian culture.
Prime Minister Modi has arrived in Bishkek to participate in the 26th SCO Leadership Summit.The summit brings together 10 member states, 15 partner countries and two observer countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues.During his stay, Modi is also scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, including with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin.His visit to Bishkek is the second leg of his two-country tour. He arrived in Kyrgyzstan after concluding his state visit to Uzbekistan, where he held extensive discussions with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.