In Moscow, PM gets a gift: His 2001 photograph

Surat: It was a pleasant surprise for Sadhu Priya Das to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in Moscow during the latter’s Russia visit. However, it was Priya Das who surprised the PM.
Priya Das showed the PM a photograph clicked in Nov 2001 during his visit to ISKCON temple. Modi urged Priya Das to give him the photo which he gifted him.
In the photo, Modi is seen offering prayers with other ISKCON devotees.The mood among the Indian-origin community in Russia was energetic during Modi’s visit.
“It was wonderful to interact with the PM. When I showed him his 2001 photo he immediately asked for it. I had the honour of hosting him when he came to Russia in 2001 with the then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” Priya Das told TOI over the phone from Moscow.
“Due to some health issues Vajpayeeji could not visit the temple and Modi came to offer prayers. He spent a significant amount of time with us and inquired about our activities. He was as inspirational as he is today,” said Priya Das.
“Modi had been kind and attentive to us in the past and on a few occasions he also sent wishes to us. A few years ago he congratulated us on the completion of 30 years of ISKCON in Russia,” he added.
ISKCON has a wide network of 100 temples across Russia and over a lakh Russian followers are associated with the temple’s activities. ISKCON has distributed 15 million Bhagwat Gita in Russia in the past 34 years.
“Indians living in Russia regularly visit ISKCON temples like they visit temples in India. ISKCON plays an important role in the India-Russia relationship as well. We share Indian culture through art, spirituality, literature, philosophy and food,” Priya Das added.