Tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where he is visiting for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The statue of Gandhi, which Modi had unveiled during his earlier visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2015, has been a site of homage for Indian leaders.

In a post on X, Modi said, "In Bishkek this morning, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in the city. Gandhi Ji's thoughts will always have an unparalleled impact on our minds." According to reports, he interacted with members of the Indian community gathered outside the memorial.

Arrival and Welcome in Bishkek

Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday for a two-day visit, at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, to attend the 26th SCO Leadership Summit and hold bilateral meetings with leaders of member countries. He was received at the airport by Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, and a traditional Kyrgyz dance performance was held to welcome him.

At his hotel, Modi was greeted with chants of "Vande Mataram" and witnessed a yoga performance set to the patriotic song "Maa Tujhe Salaam", along with a cultural dance based on Lord Shiva. After landing, Modi posted on X, "Landed in Bishkek a short while ago. Grateful to Mr Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic for the warm welcome. Will be meeting various leaders bilaterally and attending the SCO Summit tomorrow and the day after."

Indian community members welcomed him with chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram", prompting Modi to post, "From Bharat to Bishkek, a very special welcome by the Indian community earlier this evening." He also watched cultural performances by Kyrgyz artists and a yoga display by local enthusiasts.

Meetings with Cultural and Yoga Communities

On Sunday, Modi met people from various communities in Bishkek, including members of the Indian and Kyrgyz cultural and yoga communities. They shared their experiences of promoting Indian traditions, including Odissi and yoga, during workshops and performances held in the Kyrgyz capital.

Jyldyz Kuvatova, founder of the Art of Living Foundation in Kyrgyzstan and professor at the American University of Central Asia, said, "Namaste everybody! We're so excited to be here. In just four days, we had more than four hours of intensive workshops every day and we had meetings with great personalities, our teachers and the maestros. It was so intense, but it's so much worth it. And we had a performance, we're very excited and thank you for inviting us!"

Aditya Bhushan Mitra, Director of Pylon Traders based in Kyrgyzstan, described the experience as "incredible", saying, "It was a very successful workshop. And also, for me, it was an incredible opportunity to learn from our teachers, from the great personalities, and to show our culture and everything. And today, what was incredible was a performance. It was just like a dream coming true."

Danil Rykov, President of the Yoga Federation of Kyrgyzstan, spoke of the honor of participating: "It's been an incredible joy for us. It's been such an honor to participate in the workshops and especially in the performance here at this magnificent Academy. For us, to have the opportunity to share the same stage with these great maestros and outstanding personalities was an immense joy and we really believe that this can open up new opportunities for our future events, to increase this marvelous and beautiful collaboration between our associations and our cultures."

Arina Niiazbekova, a Hatha yoga instructor from Kyrgyzstan who is also associated with classical theatre, ballet and Indian classical dance, said the workshops provided an opportunity to learn from renowned gurus, adding that she was "extremely happy to see old friends and new friends" and found the experience "very useful for each of us".

During the interaction, Modi received a copy of "Manas: Kyrgyz Veergatha Kavya" from members of the community, as reported by The Times of India.

SCO Summit Context

The 26th SCO Summit is being held in Bishkek from August 31 to September 1. The 10-member SCO is marking the 25th anniversary of its founding this year. The grouping was established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with India and Pakistan joining as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

In his departure statement on Saturday, Modi said he looked forward to advancing India's vision for the region, anchored in "security, connectivity and opportunity", and working with fellow SCO members for a region free from "terrorism, separatism and extremism". He also expressed his intention to meet President Zhaparov and other SCO leaders, and to attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, which he called "a celebration of the rich living heritage of Central Asia that India holds in deep respect".

According to The Times of India, Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, including with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prior Visit to Uzbekistan

Modi's visit to Bishkek follows a two-day visit to Uzbekistan, during which the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. During his time in Tashkent, Modi also paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Shastri Memorial, posting on X, "Paid homage to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji in Tashkent. We remember a towering statesman whose unwavering commitment to the nation continues to inspire generations."