Sandalwood sitar to hand knitted Kashmiri carpet: PM Modi's gifts for French President Macron and other leaders

PM Modi gifted a sandalwood sitar to French President Emmanuel Macron. Made of pure sandalwood, the unique replica of the musical instrument sitar made by carving is an exquisite ancient craft that has been practised in Southern India for centuries.

PM santoor/Twitter

The replica of the Sitar gifted to the French President carries images of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesha. The creative piece is illustrated with peacocks, the national bird of India, and embellished with intricate carvings that reflect the myriad motifs of Indian culture.

PM gift Pochampally/Twitter

PM Modi gifted a silk fabric from Telangana's Pochampally in a sandalwood box to President’s wife, Brigitte Macron. Pochampally Ikat is renowned for its intricate designs and vibrant colours. The Pochampally Ikat was presented to the French First Lady in a decorative sandalwood box, which carried intricate designs depicting traditional motifs, floral patterns, or scenes from history.

PM gift11/Twitter

To Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister of France, PM Modi gifted marble inlay work, which is a unique artwork done on marble using semi-precious stones. The making of marble inlay involves the manual cutting and engraving of semi-precious stones.

kashmiri carpet/Twitter

A hand-knitted silk Kashmiri carpet was gifted to French National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet, while PM Modi gifted a sandalwood hand-carved elephant, Ambavari, to Gerard Larcher, president of the French Senate.

PM gift sandal elephant/Twitter