PM Modi Speaks Many Languages In Diversity Pitch For India’s G20 Headship

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said welcome greetings in six Indian languages as he unveiled the logo for India’s G20 presidency, based on the lotus flower; and its theme, based on universality, and the website, g20.in, on Tuesday.

“In Indian culture, both, the goddesses of knowledge and prosperity are seated on a lotus,” he said, referring to Hindu goddesses Saraswati and Lakshmi. 

The seven petals of the lotus in the logo, he said, represent the seven continents. It ties in with the theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, he added. 

India will assume the presidency of the group from current chair Indonesia on December 1 and host the summit next year, and several events in the run-up.

“The events will not be limited to Delhi or some cities. All corners of the country will see programmes,” PM Modi said. “Every state has its own culture and beauty,” he added, going on to use the Rajasthani greeting “padharo mhare des”.

“Gujarat’s loving welcome is ‘tamaru swagat chhe’ in Kerala, in Malayalam, this love gets the words ‘ellaavarkkum swagatham’… Madhya Pradesh says, ‘Aap ka swagat hai’,” he further said, going on to use phrases in Bengali and Tamil, too.

He pitched Uttar Pradesh and Himachal as “worth visiting in all seasons”, and said “Uttarakhand is simply heaven”.

“This diversity amazes the world,” he said.

The G20 comprises the world’s major developed and developing economies, from Argentina and Brazil to Australia and Canada, and China, the UK, US and the European Union.

PM Modi noted the G20 represents 85 per cent of the world’s GDP and about two-thirds of the population. “India will be holding about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across India,” the Ministry of External Affairs earlier said in a statement.

PM Modi also pitched India’s progress “despite many invaders and challenges over thousands of years” as an example to the world. 

“In India’s progress in the 75 years since Independence, all governments have contributed with their efforts,” he added.

About the logo, he said the government sought contributions from the people: “I was happy to know we received thousands of creative ideas. Today, those ideas are the face of G20.”

“India’s presidency comes at a time of crisis and chaos in the world… No matter the circumstances, the lotus still blooms,” he added, citing Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent paths as worth following.