GES 2017

Ivanka lauds PM Modi, calls India 'a symbol of hope'

ivanka-ges Ivanka Trump, gestures while speaking during the inauguration of the GES 2017 in Hyderabad on Tuesday | PTI

At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), White House Advisor Ivanka Trump who is leading the US delegation heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She thanked him for all that he is doing “to build India into a thriving economy, a beacon of democracy and a symbol of hope to the world.” She also went on to talk about his transformational journey from a tea-seller to the Prime Minister of a country.

The eight edition of GES, jointly organised by India and the United States in Hyderabad, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Ivanka Trump, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and union and state ministers on Tuesday evening.

Hundreds of investors, entrepreneurs and members of startup ecosystem were in attendance at Hyderabad International Convention centre (HICC) to attend the event.

Delivering the keynote address, Ivanka spoke highly of entrepreneurship and hard work put in by Indians to lift 130 million citizens out of poverty.

Recognising Hyderabad as an “innovation hub," she went on to talk about the city’s global connections with the tech world.

Calling the theme of the summit, “Women first, Prosperity for all,” as key to the future, she said “Only if women are empowered to thrive will our families, our economies and our societies reach their fullest potential,” she said.

She made some observations based on her entrepreneurial journey in a male-dominated industry and felt that women had to work extra hard than men to prove themselves.

With the help of statistics, she said that it was important to address gender-related disparity existing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and also encourage easier finance options to women who want to start their own ventures.

In his inaugural address, PM Narendra Modi highlighted the growing proximity between India and US.

“The event not only connects Silicon Valley with Hyderabad, but also showcases the close ties between the United States of America and India,” he said.

The prime minister highlighted the importance of women in the country’s history and culture. He also stressed that Indians were good at inventions right from ancient times.

Pointing at the improved Moody’s credit ratings for India, he said that government was taking necessary steps to build a stronger economy.

After the inaugural event, Ivanka participated in a panel discussion together with Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Defense.

One of the most popular heritage sites in Hyderabad, Taj Falaknuma was decked up on Tuesday for a grand dinner hosted by the prime minister for Ivanka and other delegates.

In the next two days, more than 50 panel discussions, master classes and workshops along with networking sessions will be held. Around 1500 participants from 150 countries will be a part of the summit that will focus on four core areas, energy and infrastructure, media and entertainment, healthcare and life sciences, and digital economy and fintech.

Some of the popular names who will mark their presence at the summit include cricketer Mithali Raj, badminton coach P. Gopichand, tennis player Sania Mirza, actress Aditi Rao Hydari, Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra and celebrity chef Vikas Khanna.

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