Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for building "India as a thriving economy — a beacon of democracy — and a symbol of hope to the world", US President Donald Trump's daughter-cum-Advisor Ivanka Trump on Tuesday sought a level playing field for women entrepreneurs.
This, she said, would not only help individual families but also countries improve their economies. Speaking in Hyderabad at the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, being organised jointly by India and the US, Ivanka also referred to Modi's rise from humble origins to the leader of world's biggest democracy.
"I would like to thank PM Modi for having me here. His journey from being a tea-seller to the Prime Minister of India is great. Your (Modi) ability to make India a symbol of democracy and a beacon of hope for the rest of the world to follow is truly remarkable," Ivanka said.
The 36-year-old Trump, who was accorded a warm welcome in Hyderabad, has long assured that US was a true friend of India. "As President Trump said earlier, India has a true friend in the White House."
Talking about India, she said, "Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship, and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty."
"It is a remarkable improvement, and one I know will continue to grow under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," she said.
The hi-tech inauguration, the high-powered turnout and the India growth story visibly impressed Ivanka, who made it a point to state in her speech: "You have opened new universities across the country. Your doctors and scientists are discovering medical cures and life-saving technologies. Your engineers and architects have built modern wonders that grace your skies. And Indian spacecraft have travelled to the Moon and to Mars. The people of India continue to inspire us all."
Seeking removal of difficulties in starting and running businesses by women, Ivanka said, "Women still face steep obstacles to starting, owning and growing their businesses. We must ensure women entrepreneurs have access to capital, access to networks and mentors,"
Interestingly, in her 15-minutes address, Ivanka mentioned three women, including Rajlakshmi Borthakur, an Assamese entrepreneur based in Bangalore for their "vision, ambition and grit"
In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused on the theme of the event - woman empowerment.
"The theme, 'women first, prosperity for all', makes this edition of GES stand out. In Indian tradition, woman is an incarnation of Shakti — the goddess of power. We believe women empowerment is crucial to our development," Modi said.
The PM pointed out that India has done much to empower women. "We have created Aadhaar, the world's largest digital database, the largest beneficiaries of which are women. Our space programmes, including the Mars Orbiter Mission, which has won accolades from world over, have received immense contribution from women scientists. And if you look around today, around 50 per cent of the delegates present at this summit are women," he said.
Asking investors to come to India, Modi said, "To my entrepreneur friends from across the globe, I would like to say: Come, Make in India, Invest in India, for India, and for the world."
Earlier, the PM and Ivanka were formally welcomed to the GES by Mitra (friend), a robot created by Bengaluru-based firm Invento Robotics. The humanoid made its way to where the PM and Ivanka were standing together.
As the PM pointed out, Mitra was "a triumph of 'Make in India'".
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 "Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Ivanka Trump")
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