Heads of states and world leaders, who participated in the G-20 summit held last week in New Delhi, were gifted a “curated compilation of handcrafted artefacts and products”.
The summit was held over two days at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 9 and September 10. Besides the three sessions — One Earth, One Family, and One Future — the visiting dignitaries also attended the G-20 dinner hosted by President Murmu, and paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the next day, at the Rajghat.
The leaders who attended the summit include U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. They were also joined by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, IMF Chairwoman Kristalina Georgieva, and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres.
Here’s a look at what was inside the hamper:
The products, part of the gift hamper gifted to G-20 dignitaries, “were meticulously created by the hands of Master Craftsmen”. Photo: Special Arrangement
The gift hamper “comprised a curated compilation of handcrafted artefacts and products”. Photo: Special Arrangement
Sheeshamwood Sandook with Brass Patti: This Sandook (treasure chest) is hand-crafted using Sheesham (Indian Rosewood), valued for its strength, durability, distinctive grain patterns and rich colour. Photo: Special Arrangement
Sheeshamwood Sandook with Brass Patti: The brass patti (strip) is delicately etched and embedded on to the Sheesham (Indian Rosewood). Photo: Special Arrangement
Saffron from Kashmir: Saffron (‘Zafran’ in Persian, ‘Kesar’ in Hindi) is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It is valued for its culinary and medicinal value. Cultivating saffron is a labour-intensive process. and requires the delicate hand-harvesting of thousands of flowers (each flower contains three crimson stigmas) to yield a mere ounce of the spice. Photo: Special Arrangement
Pekoe Darjeeling and Nilgiri Tea: Darjeeling tea made from tender shoots, handpicked from shrubs, located on the hills of West Bengal at altitudes of 3,000-5,000 ft. Nilgiri Tea, derived from the mountain range, is cultivated amidst the mountains’ lush terrain at an elevation of 1,000-3,000 ft. Photo: Special Arrangement
Araku Coffee is the world’s first terroir mapped coffee, grown on organic plantations in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh. The coffee plants are cultivated by hand, without the use of machines or chemicals.
Sundarbans Multiflora Mangrove Honey: Derived from the largest mangrove forest in the world, the honey blends the nectar of various mangrove flowers like Khalisha, Bani and Garan. It is less viscous than other types of honey, high in flavonoids and provides valuable health benefits. Photo: Special Arrangement
Kashmiri Pashmina: ‘Pashm’ refers to the raw unspun wool of the Changthangi goat (a Cashmere goat) found at a height of 14,000 feet above sea level. The wool is collected by combing (and not shearing) the undercoat of this goat. Skilled artisans hand-spin, weave, and embroider their delicate fibers using age-old processes. Photo: Special Arrangement
Zighrana Ittar: ‘Ittar’ (meaning ‘perfume’) is an essential oil derived from botanical sources. Hailing from Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, the Zighrana Ittar is made from a meticulous process of hydro-distillation. Photo: Special Arrangement