'Bharat Mandapam' all set to host G-20 summit

NEW DELHI: The country is all set to host the G-20 summit and the world leaders have started arriving. There are reports that the delegates will be served food in gold and silver bowls during the conference.

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has arrived yesterday. US President Joe Biden will arrive today. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive tomorrow.

The summit will be held on Saturday and Sunday at Bharat Mandapam, the main venue of Pragati Maidan.

Modi and Biden will hold bilateral talks tomorrow. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will not attend the summit.

Many countries have been invited as guests.

India is of the position that the African Union should be part of the community. If approved, the summit will become G-21.

27 feet tall Nataraja idol at the entrance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 27-foot-tall Nataraja idol at the entrance. Union Minister Piyush Goyal released the eye-catching footage of Bharat Mandapam.

Sharing pictures on his Twitter account, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Nataraja idol brings to life the country's rich history and culture.

It weighs 18 tons. It is the world's largest idol in Ashtadhatu. The sculptor is Radhakrishnan Sthapathi of Tamil Nadu's Swami Mala. Radhakrishnan is the 34th generation member of a family that has been making idols since the Chola Empire.

Business bigwigs at the dinner

Businessmen have also been invited to the dinner for world leaders hosted by President Draupadi Murmu on Saturday. Reliance Chief Mukesh Ambani, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, Bharti Airtel founder chairman Sunil Mittal and others will participate.

Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthany Albanese and others are coming to the banquet.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will attend. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may also come. Both were invited by the President.