S Jaishankar welcomed with hit Bollywood songs at Israel's Centre for Persons with Disabilities

Jerusalem: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his delegation were in for a surprise on Monday when they were treated to hit popular Bollywood numbers at Centre for Persons with Disabilities here in Israel.

A blind Indian Jewish girl from the Bnei Menashe community, Dina Samte, who is a part of the Shalva band, welcomed Jaishankar and sang hits from Bollywood movies Kal Ho Na Ho and Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai, in a moving moment that left the minister and his delegation emotional.

Israel’s Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hosted lunch for Jaishankar at the Shalva Centre, which extends care for individuals with disabilities providing them with tools for social inclusion.

Samte, who immigrated to Israel from Manipur in 2007 has the unprecedented honour to have been chosen to light a torch at Israel’s Independence Day official state ceremony a few years back.

Shalva provides an all-encompassing range of services for thousands of people with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families.

Its comprehensive life-cycle programming provides leading-edge therapies, inclusive educational frameworks, social and recreational activities, employment training, and independent living, as well as respite and family support.

The Shalva National Center’s advanced programs and facilities create new frontiers in disability rehabilitation, research, and inclusion; defining new standards in the field and impacting the world beyond those in Shalva’s direct care.

The organisation is known for providing equal access and opportunity to all participants regardless of religion, ethnic background, or financial capability.

EAM is to visit the Israel museum where he would be seeing the replica of Kudavumbagam Cochini synagogue, the section on Indian art section and also the Dead Sea scrolls.

He will also be interacting with some young members of the Cochini Jewish community. Jaishankar will also unveil a plaque at the Indian hospice in old Jerusalem and interact with think tanks later during the day.