Gujarat captains of industry in full attendance to meet Xi Jinping

Captains of Gujarat Industry attended the meeting between prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping at Hyatt in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening. Nearly 50 people from leading companies and industries associations were invited at the meeting at the MoU signing ceremony in presence of Modi and Jinping.

The who's who of Gujarat industry and education field like Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, Torrent Power chairman Sudhir Mehta, Torrent Pharma chairman Sameer Mehta, Zydus Group chairman Pankaj Patel, Cadila Pharmaceutical chairman Rajiv Modi, IIM-A director Ashish Nanda and others were invited at the function.

However, some invitees felt there was little interaction with the Chinese president. "We expected some interaction or address by both the leaders but nothing of sort happened. So disappointment was quite visible on faces of invitees amid smile," said one of the invitees, who did not wish to be quoted.

However, prime minister Narendra Modi reached the venue 15 minutes earlier to the arrival of Xi and greeted almost everyone personally. It also provided an opportunity to many people to click snap with the PM.

Sudhir Jain, director, IIT-Gandhinagar, who was present at Hyatt said, "It was a great experience. Before the Chinese president came, our prime minister met me and others personally and interacted."

Dr HL Trivedi Director of IKDRC was deligthed over the fact that Modi inquired about the research happening at IKDRC. "I assured him that it was running on full steam. Overall, it was a very good function," said Trivedi.

Some of the invitees were out of comfort zone as soon as Chinese president arrived at the venue. "As everybody got up from the front rows, we were not able to see what was happening there," said one of the invitees.

Once the political leaders of both countries left the venue, it was a networking platform for all of us as government leaders, academic leaders and industry leaders interacted with each other over tea, said Jain. Another invitee, Architect and President of CEPT university Bimal Patel said, "We were present in the audience and it was a good experience to meet everyone."