NEW DELHI: During his four-day visit to Central Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a carefully curated series of traditional Indian crafts, classical literature, and historic mementoes to the leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to showcase India’s rich literary, artistic, and craft traditions.
Prime Minister Modi gifted Bibek Debroy’s 10-volume English translation of the Mahabharata to the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov. Traditionally attributed to Ved Vyasa, the epic is a cornerstone of India’s literary, philosophical, and cultural heritage, exploring themes of dharma, duty, justice, morality, loyalty, and statecraft through the story of the Pandavas and Kauravas, with an enduring influence reflected across Indian literature and performing and visual arts.
The work also shares a cultural resonance with Kyrgyzstan’s Epic of Manas, as both preserve stories, values, and collective memory across generations, highlighting epic storytelling as a bridge between heritage and identity.
Prime Minister Modi gifted a Ladakhi Tsug-dul Blanket to the President of Kyrgyzstan. It is a traditional woolen textile from Ladakh known for its vibrant colours and geometric, floral, and stylised motifs. Traditionally woven from locally sourced wool, it combines warmth, durability, and skilled craftsmanship while reflecting Ladakh’s pastoral and nomadic way of life.
Its heritage finds a natural resonance in Kyrgyzstan’s longstanding nomadic traditions, shaped by mountains, pastoral life, and wool-based craftsmanship, symbolising India’s Himalayan textile heritage and the shared cultural affinity between mountain and pastoral communities.
For the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister Modi gifted a Dokra Artwork depicting a pair of traditional musicians, which showcases India’s ancient metal-casting heritage and vibrant folk-art traditions. Created using the lost-wax casting technique, each individually handcrafted piece has a distinctive character.
Inspired by folk life and performing arts, the artwork reflects the enduring role of music in preserving cultural stories and identity, resonating with Kyrgyzstan’s rich folk music and performing arts traditions and symbolising the shared cultural importance of music in both societies.
For the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Modi gifted a Sandalwood Shata Tantri Veena, popularly known as the Santoor, which combines India’s rich musical heritage with the intricate artistry of sandalwood carving. A trapezoidal, many-stringed instrument associated with the musical traditions of Jammu and Kashmir, it bears a striking resemblance to Uzbekistan’s traditional Chang, reflecting shared musical traditions and cultural affinities while highlighting India’s fine wood carving traditions.
The President of Uzbekistan was also gifted two boxes of premium Kangra Tea comprising Kangra First Flush Black Tea and Kangra Green Tea housed in a wooden carved box by Prime Minister Modi. This tea reflects the distinctive tea-growing heritage of the Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh, where cultivation dates back to the 19th century. Known for its delicate flavour, floral notes, and refined aroma, Kangra First Flush Black Tea offers a light, fragrant, and subtly sweet profile, whereas Kangra Green Tea has a fresh and mellow character with gentle vegetal and floral notes, showcasing the region’s unique Himalayan terroir and artisanal tea-making traditions.
A third memento presented by Prime Minister Modi to the Uzbek President was the original handwritten scoresheet of Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov from the 2025 FIDE World Cup final in Goa, marking a unique keepsake of his historic triumph. The Uzbek chess prodigy, who became a Grandmaster at 12 and was part of Uzbekistan’s 2022 Chess Olympiad-winning team, defeated China’s Wei Yi in the final to become the youngest FIDE World Cup Champion and qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, with the scoresheet preserved in a leatherette cover alongside his photograph.
For the spouse of the President of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Modi gifted a Marble Inlay Casket with a Banarasi Silk Stole, bringing together Agra’s fine marble inlay and Varanasi’s renowned silk weaving. The white marble casket features intricate floral patterns made with colored stones, while the Banarasi silk stole showcases a rich blue ground with an elegant paisley zari design. The use of marble also resonates with Uzbekistan’s architectural heritage, where marble has long been used in important monuments, celebrating a shared appreciation for beauty, craftsmanship, and enduring artistic traditions.
For the daughter of the President of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Modi gifted a Fine Silver Brooch showcasing the precision and artistry of Indian jewelry craftsmanship. Featuring a floral bouquet in an ornamental basket with intricate openwork, latticework, and finely detailed leaves and blossoms, its green cabochons and clear stones add a refined, jewel-like finish. Drawing on India’s longstanding tradition of floral motifs symbolizing beauty, vitality, abundance, and harmony with nature, the brooch offers a contemporary expression of the country’s enduring metalcraft and decorative arts heritage.
Finally, for the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Modi gifted a Marble Inlay Decorative Plate showcasing India’s traditional stone-inlay craftsmanship, featuring intricate floral and foliate motifs in blue, green, and red set into polished white marble. Particularly associated with Agra, Uttar Pradesh, the painstaking technique reflects generations of artisan skill. The floral designs symbolise beauty, renewal, and harmony with nature, while the plate’s refined stone craftsmanship resonates with Uzbekistan’s rich architectural and artistic heritage, reflecting a shared appreciation for fine craftsmanship.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday and participated in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. After concluding his state visit to Uzbekistan, PM Modi arrived in the Kyrgyz capital for a two-day visit at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.
