New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a series of thoughtfully selected Indian artefacts and mementos to the Uzbekistan President, Prime Minister, First Lady and their daughter during his official engagement in the Central Asian nation.
The gifts, offered to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva and Saida Mirziyoyeva, highlighted India’s musical traditions, artisanal craftsmanship, Himalayan produce and the celebration of Uzbekistan’s own sporting excellence.
To President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Modi gifted a sandalwood “Shata Tantri Veena”, popularly known as the “Santoor”.
This trapezoidal, multi-stringed instrument, rooted in the musical traditions of Jammu and Kashmir, is finely crafted from sandalwood and showcases India’s longstanding mastery of wood carving.
The Santoor bears a striking resemblance to Uzbekistan’s traditional Chang, underscoring shared musical affinities and the power of music to connect cultures across borders.
President Mirziyoyev also received two boxes of premium Kangra tea — “Kangra First Flush Black Tea” and “Kangra Green Tea” — presented in an elegantly carved wooden box.
Sourced from the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, where tea cultivation dates back to the 19th century, the “First Flush Black Tea” offers a light, fragrant and subtly sweet profile with delicate floral notes, while the “Green Tea” presents a fresh, mellow character with gentle vegetal and floral aromas.
Together they reflect the unique Himalayan terroir and artisanal tea-making heritage of the region.
In a particularly meaningful gesture, President Mirziyoyev was presented with the original handwritten scoresheet of Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final held in Goa.
The Uzbek chess prodigy, who became a Grandmaster at the age of 12 and was part of Uzbekistan’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2022 Chess Olympiad, defeated China’s Wei Yi to become the youngest FIDE World Cup Champion and secure qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Preserved in a leatherette cover along with his photograph, the scoresheet commemorates this historic triumph on Indian soil.
Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov received a “Marble Inlay Decorative Plate” from Agra in Uttar Pradesh. The polished white marble surface features intricate floral and foliate motifs in blue, green and red, created through the painstaking traditional stone-inlay technique that has been perfected over generations.
The designs symbolise beauty, renewal and harmony with nature, while the refined craftsmanship resonates with Uzbekistan’s rich architectural and artistic heritage.
First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva was gifted a “Marble Inlay Casket” accompanied by a “Banarasi” silk stole.
The white marble casket is adorned with delicate floral patterns in coloured stones, while the silk stole features a rich blue ground with an elegant paisley “zari” design — bringing together the renowned marble-inlay art of Agra and the legendary silk-weaving tradition of Varanasi.
The use of marble also echoes Uzbekistan’s architectural legacy, where the material has long been employed in important monuments.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, the daughter of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, received a fine silver brooch depicting a floral bouquet in an ornamental basket.
Crafted with intricate openwork, latticework and finely detailed leaves and blossoms, and accented with green cabochons and clear stones, the piece exemplifies the precision and artistry of Indian jewellery-making.
Drawing on India’s enduring tradition of floral motifs that symbolise beauty, vitality, abundance and harmony with nature, the brooch offers a contemporary expression of the country’s metalcraft and decorative arts heritage.
These carefully chosen gifts reaffirm the deep cultural, artistic and people-to-people bonds between India and Uzbekistan, reflecting mutual respect and a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, music, nature and excellence.
(IANS)
