Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi gifted Ivanka Trump with a wooden box of Sadeli craft. Ivanka was in India to take part in the eighth edition of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad. Sadeli is a technique of fabricating geometric patterns in wood and is native to Gujarat’s Surat.

PM Modi is known for gifting the world leaders traditional Indian handicrafts. During his visit to the US earlier this year, he presented the US First Lady Melania Trump handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet, tea and honey from Kangra valley and also hand-woven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.

Earlier, Ivanka lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his belief that progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women.

“Just consider, if India closes the labour force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over $150 billion in the next three years,” she said.

Noting that this is the first time India has hosted the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Ivanka said it is a symbol of the strengthened friendship between our two peoples, and the growing economic and security partnership between our two nations.

Complimenting India for being one of the fastest growing economies globally, lifting millions out of poverty and for the progress achieved in science and technology, Trump said: “The people of India inspire us all.”

“The people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty. All of you are helping India’s middle class reach its goal of becoming 500 million people by 2030.”

Stressing on women’s achievements in India, Modi said: “In Indian mythology, woman is an incarnation of Shakti – the Goddess of power. We believe women empowerment is vital to our development.”

“Indian women continue to lead in different walks of life. Our space programmes, including the Mars Orbiter Mission, have had immense contribution from our women scientists. Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, both of Indian origin, have been part of US space missions,” he added.

Talking about Indian women empowerment, Modi added: “We have launched the MUDRA scheme to provide easy finance of upto one million rupees to entrepreneurs. Since its launch in 2015, over 90 million loans worth 4.28 trillion rupees have been sanctioned. Of these, more than 70 million loans have been sanctioned to women entrepreneurs.”

Ivanka received a royal treatment as horse-drawn carriage of the Nizam era ferried her from the main gate to the palace atop the hill. She and other guests were greeted with a rose petal shower on entering the palace.

The White House adviser also went around the palace, which was once the residence of the Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile princely State of Hyderabad.

They all reached the palace after the inauguration of GES at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). Elaborate security arrangements were made as the palace is located in the old city of Hyderabad and is surrounded by densely populated neighbourhoods.

The Nizam’s suite, which used to be the private suite of the ruler of Hyderabad State and costs a whopping Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a night was booked for Ivanka in case she stays at the palace. However, she returned to Trident Hotel.

Ivanka was the first high-profile foreign dignitary visiting the palace after it was converted into a star hotel a decade ago.

It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizam’s Prime Minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan bought it for himself and stayed there till 1911.

Built over 32 acres, the scorpion-shaped and all-marble palace palace stands tall in its splendour and majesty atop a hill, at 2,000 ft above sea level and overlooks the old city of Hyderabad.