PM Modi receives enthusiastic welcome from Indian diaspora in Berlin

Though the PM landed early in the morning, there was a big crowd of enthusiastic Indians waiting to welcome him.

Attired in a dark coloured kurta and churidar, with a shawl thrown across one shoulder, the Prime Minister listened with rapt attention to a patriotic poem in Hindi recited by an Indian boy, Ashutosh, and patted him affectionately, praising his recital with a “shabash!”.

The PM was seen clicking his fingers in time to the poem recital and had kept one hand affectionately on the boy's shoulder.

He also praised a little Indian girl, Manya Mishra, who had done a pencil sketch of the PM, and autographed the drawing. Manya said the PM told her the pencil portrait was “nice”.

In a tweet, PM Modi said that though it was early morning in Berlin many Indian diaspora members had turned up to welcome him.

He said India is proud of the accomplishments of its diaspora. “It was early morning in Berlin yet several people from the Indian community came by. Was wonderful connecting with them. India is proud of the accomplishments of our diaspora,” his tweet read.

The Indian diaspora members were ecstatic about meeting the PM. “It's a very proud moment for all of us, we were all speechless that the PM met us,” said an Indian woman.

“We were here from 5 in the morning, and when he said namastey we all felt so happy,” said another.

“We never thought we will have such a close encounter with him, we are all speechless. We felt emotional when he came so close, and we all feel so proud as Indians, he has brought so much of pride regarding India,” said another Indian.

“He is a charismatic leader, it's a wonderful opportunity by the Indian community to meet the PM,” said another Indian member.

Many of the Indian members shouted 'Bharat Mata ki jai' and 'Vande Mataram' as he arrived.

Attired in brightly coloured silk sarees and lehengas, many women from the Indian community in Berlin performed the Garba and other Indian traditional dance forms in honour of Prime Minister Modi at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate.

The PMO tweeted videos of the Indian men and women performing traditional Indian dance forms at Brandenburg gate, an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin. “The colours and diversity of India are on display at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate. PM Modi receives enthusiastic welcome from Indian diaspora in Berlin,” the PMO tweeted.

PM Modi is to address around 2,000 members of the Indian community at an event later in the day.

He is in Berlin to co-chair the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The two leaders will also jointly address a Business Event.

The PM arrived in Berlin on the first leg of his three-nation tour that will also take him to Copenhagen and Paris, from May 2-4.