Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 30: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan, was on Sunday conferred with Uzbekistan’s prestigious ‘Oliy Darajali Do’stlik’ Order.
The Prime Minister was conferred with the honour by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Mr Modi dedicated the Order to the “enduring” bond between India and Uzbekistan. “Honoured to receive the ‘Oliy Darajali Do’stlik’ Order. I dedicate this to the enduring bond between India and Uzbekistan,” PM Modi said in a social media post.
In his remarks, Mr Modi said, “Being honoured with Uzbekistan’s highest award is a matter of great pride for me.” He said the people of India were very familiar with the word used for the award – ‘Dostlik’.
“There is hardly a family in India where the word ‘Dostlik’ is not spoken a hundred times a day. Today, you have truly brought out the essence of it. ‘Dostlik’ means friendship. The word itself beautifully expresses the sentiment at the heart of the relationship between India and Uzbekistan,” he said.
Mr Modi said receiving the award was not his personal honour but an honour for 1.4 billion Indians. “On behalf of all Indians, I sincerely thank the people of Uzbekistan, the government, and my dear friend, the President. I accept this highest honour with utmost humility and dedicate it to the centuries-old friendship between our two countries and our shared heritage,” he said.
Later Mr Modi also joined a yoga session in Tashkent hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan. “Yoga has immense appeal in Uzbekistan. It is bringing people and cultures together and strengthening people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X. The Ministry shared photographs of Mr Modi interacting with participants and witnessing the yoga session.
The Prime Minister arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and received a warm welcome from Mr Mirziyoyev at the airport. After his arrival, Mr Modi visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument along with the Uzbek President.
He also met members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent, where he witnessed Kathak and Andijan Polka performances by the diaspora and a dance by Uzbek children to the Indian song “Ude Jab Jab Zulfe Teri.” Mr Modi also watched a fusion performance of tabla with traditional Uzbek instruments, Doira and Chang.
Mr Modi is on the first leg of a two-nation visit that will also take him to Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 1 for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.