NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, FEB 18
US President Donald Trump will be gifted a spinning wheel, two books on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi and a portrait during his visit to the iconic Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on February 24.
The US President will be accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the ashram located on the banks of the river Sabarmati. He will be the first US president to visit the ashram, a place closely associated with India’s freedom struggle.
The ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram, was home to the independence movement leader and peace icon from 1917 to 1930. It is now managed by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.
Ashram trustees Kartikeya Sarabhai and Amrut Modi said the American president, US First Lady Melania Trump, and Prime Minister Modi would spend around 30 minutes at the ashram.
Sources said Trump and Melania may try their hands on the spinning wheel (charkha) kept near ‘Hriday Kunj’, a cottage inside the ashram where Gandhiji and his wife Kasturba once lived.
“We will gift Trump a spinning wheel, Gandhiji’s autobiography and a book named ‘My Life My Message’. This book is based on an exhibition depicting Gandhiji’s entire life.
“The ashram would also gift Gandhiji’s portrait to Trump. Along with the charkha, we will give him a note describing its importance in the country’s freedom struggle,” said Amrut Modi.
He said the dignitaries will be welcomed with garlands made of ‘khadi’ (hand-woven fabric).
Trump and Prime Minister Modi will also take part in a roadshow that will start from the Ahmedabad airport and end at the cricket stadium in Motera after passing along the ashram.
On the backside of the ashram, a platform is being built so that PM Modi can show the entire Sabarmati riverfront to the visiting dignitaries from one place, officials said.
The Gujarat government has announced that Trump and the First Lady would arrive at the Ahmedabad international airport directly from Washington.
The US president will start his two-day India visit from Ahmedabad.
Large hoardings welcoming Trump and PM Modi have been put on the 22km route of the roadshow. Officials have estimated that over one lakh people would stand on both sides of the road on the entire route to greet the leaders.
After the roadshow, the two leaders are scheduled to inaugurate the newly-built stadium at Motera, where around one lakh people are expected to take part in an event christened as “Namaste Trump”.
