In ‘Bharat’ nameplate for PM’s seat at G20, a big statement amid renaming buzz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the G20 Summit being held at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan. The country name, in front of the Prime Minister, was seen as 'Bharat'.
The country's name was displayed as 'Bharat' on the name card in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he addressed the G20 Summit in New Delhi on Saturday. At the summit, PM Modi was also identified as the leader representing 'Bharat'.
Videos and photos widely shared on social media showed a placard displaying 'Bharat', as PM Narendra Modi delivered his inaugural address at the summit.
"India's G20 Presidency has become a symbol of 'Sabka Sath' inside and outside of the country. This has become the people's G20 in India and over 200 meetings were held across the country," PM Modi said.
The government has used 'Bharat', a name used in the Constitution for the country along with India, in several official G20 documents. It is a conscious decision, reported news agency PTI, quoting official sources.
Ahead of his inaugural address, Prime Minister Modi welcomed a host of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 Summit.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director and Chairman Kristalina Georgieva and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were among the first to arrive at the newly built venue in Pragati Maidan.
Modi welcomed the world leaders against the backdrop of the replica of the Konark Wheel, a 13th-century artefact symbolising time, progress and continuous change.