Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to visit India from 9 May
Nepal's President Bhandari would, therefore, be visiting the country on the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
Kathmandu: Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will be visiting India from 9 May on her first foreign visit since assuming the office of the head of the state in October 2015.
Initially, the president had expressed interest in attending the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh. This was communicated to the Indian side which, wishing to play host to the Nepali head of state, converted the visit to an official one, officials privy to the matter told IANS.
Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. AFP / Nepal DoI
Bhandari would, therefore, be visiting India on the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
Related Articles
Preparations are underway for her India visit, said officials, adding that the two back-to-back visits — by President Bhandari in May and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in March — are expected to boost bilateral ties that touched a new low after the promulgation of the new constitution in September last year.
There could be two reasons behind making the visit official: one because she is the first woman president of Nepal and the second that she was elected to the top office post-promulgation of the new constitution.
In her two-leg visit, she will reach New Delhi on 9 May and the following day would be meeting senior Indian officials and leaders, said sources.
She would meet President Pranab Mukharjee on 10 May at Rashtrapati Bhawan, according to the preliminary itinerary.
On the same day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Indian leaders will call on President Bhandari in New Delhi.
After her meetings and engagements in New Delhi, the Nepal president will fly to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, to take part in the Simhastha Kumbh Mela where state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other senior officials will meet her.
The details of the visit, size of the delegation and other preparations are yet to be worked out, said officials.
The previous president, Ram Baran Yadav, paid two official and one state visit to India but none of the Indian presidents has visited Nepal since 1998.
KR Narayanan was the last president to visit Nepal in 1998.
also read
'Matter of happiness that a new Parliament was constructed in 2.5 years': Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh added that the 'day is an important milestone as it will prove to be a source of inspiration in the Amritkaal'
New Parliament Building Inauguration: PM Modi places 'Sengol' inside complex, seeks blessings of adheenams
Shortly after he arrived at the location, PM Modi attended a havan and performed a puja at the premises ahead of the inauguration
PM Modi pays tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru on 59th death anniversary
Congress leaders paid their respects to Nehru on his 59th death anniversary at an event held at Shanti Van in New Delhi