GES 2017: Ivanka Trump to visit Hyderabad's Charminar, Falaknuma Palace during India tour

Hyderabad: US president Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump’s visit to India next week will not be just a trip to attend the business conclave as she will also be exploring this historic city of pearls. Ivanka, who is also the advisor to the US President, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on November 28 at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), located in Hitec City, the information technology hub housing many US tech giants. A business owner herself, she will also speak at a session with the theme ‘Women first, prosperity for all’. About 1,500 delegates, over half of them women, from 150 countries will participate in the three-day summit. On evening of 28 November, she will make a trip to Falaknuma Palace located on a hillock in the Muslim-majority old city of Hyderabad. She will not only attend the dinner being hosted by Modi but will also get an opportunity to see the opulent palace, a symbol of a long Muslim rule and culture. Ivanka, along with Modi and top US and Indian officials, will dine at 101-seater dining table, one of the longest in the world and a key attraction of the palace, which served as the residence of Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State. [caption id=“attachment_4224133” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Ivanka Trump. Twitter @USAandIndia[/caption] Built in 1893, the scorpion-shaped, all marble palace with its opulent interiors and breathtaking views was converted into a hotel by the Taj Group about a decade ago. Ivanka will take a guided tour of Falaknuma, a majestic blend of Italian and Tudor architecture. Her visit to the old city might also include a sight-seeing trip to Charminar, the iconic symbol of Hyderabad and globally recognised monument, located about three kilometres from Falaknuma and surrounded by densely populated neighbourhoods and dingy lanes. An epitome of architectural marvel, Charminar with four distinct minarets, was built in 1591 by then ruler Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah to commemorate the founding of the city. For any tourist, a visit to Hyderabad is incomplete without Charminar. Ivanka is also likely to go for shopping at Laadbazar, a market famous for Lac bangles and bridal wear, at Charminar. While Ivanka’s schedule is being kept a closely-guarded secret by the US authorities due to a ‘high threat perception’, Telangana government officials have not ruled out the possibility of her visit to historic Makkah Masjid and Chowmohalla Palace, both located near Charminar.