Modi’s gifts: Abe stamp, shawls & tea

Washington, June 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted President Donald Trump a folio containing an original commemorative postal stamp issued by India to mark the death centenary of Abraham Lincoln, and presented handwoven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to the First Lady. The stamp had been issued by India 52 years ago, in 1965, to mark Lincoln’s death centenary.

He also gave the President a wooden chest with inlay pattern, a speciality of Hoshiarpur in Punjab. In addition to the shawls, Mr Modi gifted Melania Trump a hamper containing a traditional, handcrafted Hima-chali silver bracelet, tea and honey from the Kangra valley.

◗ PM Modi gave a rage of gifts to US President Donald and wife Melania Trump

◗ Gifts include handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet, tea and honey from Kangra Valley and hand-woven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir

◗ Mr Trump gave the PM a tour of the White House including the Lincoln Bedroom

Washington, June 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump a range of gifts, including a handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet, tea and honey from Kangra Valley and hand-woven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir.

During his maiden faceto-face meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Modi gifted a folio containing the 1965dated original commemorative postal stamp, issued to mark the death centenary of Abraham Lincoln. “The stamp honoured the memory of a great American President and the symbolised closeness of ideals” Mr Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi believed in, the Prime Minister’s Office posted on Twitter.

“For @FLOTUS, PM presented a hamper containing a traditional, handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet, tea and honey from Kangra valley,” it said. “Handwoven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh were also presented to @FLOTUS,” it said.

Later Mr Trump gave Mr Modi a guided tour of the President’s residence quarters in White House, including the Lincoln bedroom, and showed

him a copy of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address and the desk on which he wrote it.

Mr Modi, who met Trump for the first time after the latter took office earlier this year, held extensive bilateral talks with the US officials focusing on terrorism, trade, energy, and defence. The two-day trip included a ‘working dinner’ at the White House, meeting with US CEOs and an address to the Indian community in Washington.