All delegation chiefs visited Raj Ghat before the second day's activities at Bharat Mandapam began.
Global leaders gathered at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial at Rajghat in New Delhi on Sunday before the second day of the G20 Summit to pay their tributes. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, World Bank President Ajay Banga, as well as several other leaders and delegates, were among those who registered as early arrivals. Despite the bad weather, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed guests who came to honour Mahatma Gandhi and lay wreaths.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Delhi had anticipated mild to moderate rain with thunderstorms continuing over Delhi and the surrounding areas on Sunday.
The leaders were welcomed at the memorial by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was standing in front of a picture of Bapu Kuti and holding a Khadi angavastram or stole.
A host of leaders from international organisations, such as World Bank Chief Ajay Banga and UN Secretary-General Guterres, paid tribute to Gandhi along with US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Lula De Silva, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishia, among others. However, both the president of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the prime minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, could be seen.
Leaders and delegation heads then proceeded to Bharat Mandapam, where they took part in a tree-planting ceremony at South Plaza. India has brought in saplings from at least 17 nations for the visiting dignitaries to plant. Native plant saplings have been imported from seven other nations and 10 G20 members.
(Photos: PTI)
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