PM Modi gifts antique silver train model to President Biden and pashmina shawl to First Lady
Narendra Modi wrapped up the Quad leaders summit by gifting an antique silver train model to President Joe Biden and a pashmina shawl to First Lady Jill Biden
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a silver antique train model to US President Joe Biden and a pashmina shawl to First Lady Jill Biden after wrapping up the Quad leaders summit on day one of his US visit on Saturday.
The gifts commemorated the strong diplomatic ties between the countries, which were termed as the “defining partnership of the 21st century” in a joint statement by the two leaders.
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The antique train model, which is made of 92.5 per cent silver, is a rare hand-engraved piece exhibiting the craftsmanship of artisans from Maharashtra.
The elaborate metalwork, use of repoussé techniques (hammering from the reverse to create raised designs) and intricate filigree work, display both the artististic heritage of the country and also pays tribute to the steam locomotive era.
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The piece also signifies the importance of ties between India and the US, with a sign on the model inscribed with “Delhi-Delaware” on the sides of the engine. The Quad leaders summit was held in Delaware, the hometown of President Joe Biden, making it a special nod to the occasion.
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The prime minister also gifted a pashmina shawl in a papier mache box to First Lady Jill Biden, which highlights the beauty of the Jammu and Kashmir produced textile and its unique designs.
Pashmina shawls are passed down through the generations as heirlooms, carrying special significance as a gift to the First Lady.
The Changthangi goat, native to Ladakh, produces the core of the shawl, with its winter coat ‘Pashm’. It's fine and soft fiber is hand combed and spun into yarn by hand with techniques generationally passed down to artisans in the region.
Natural dyes from plants and minerals in the region decorate the shawl with captivating colours.
Pashmina shawls also are traditionally presented in papier mache boxes made in Jammu and Kashmir. The boxes are not only functional but are also a work of art by themselves.
