Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his one-day visit to Greece on Friday (August 25), which included a meeting with Guru Dayanidhi Das, associated with ISKCON. PM Modi praised him in a tweet for his efforts to promote Indian culture among Greek youth and his active participation in community service initiatives.
PM Modi in an X post (formerly known as Twitter) said: “In Athens, I had the opportunity to meet Guru Dayanidhi Das Ji. Associated with ISKCON, he has been making innumerable efforts to make Indian culture popular among the youth of Greece. He is also at the forefront of many community service efforts.”
In Athens, I had the opportunity to meet Guru Dayanidhi Das Ji. Associated with ISKCON, he has been making innumerable efforts to make Indian culture popular among the youth of Greece. He is also at the forefront of many community service efforts. pic.twitter.com/Q3oUrsSHvl
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 25, 2023
Following their meeting, Guru Dayanidhi Das, the head of ISKCON in Greece, remarked on PM Modi’s kindness and vision, mentioning their long-standing global connection. Das praised Modi’s devotion to Lord Krishna in particular.
After meeting PM, Guru Dayanidhi Das said, “I am highly impressed by his kindness, his vision. We have known him for a long time. We had many interactions with him all over the world and we love him very much. Amongst the leaders, I love him the most because he is a devotee of Krishna.”
#WATCH | After meeting PM Narendra Modi in Athens, Guru Dayanidhi Das, head of ISKCON in Greece says, “…I am highly impressed by his kindness, his vision. We have known him for a long time. We had many interactions with him all over the world and we love him very much…Amongst… pic.twitter.com/LbWjUIwYjS
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2023
PM Modi also met with Dimitrios Vassiliadis, an indologist and professor of Sanskrit and Hindi at the University of Athens. He can be heard saying in a video posted by ANI, “Delightful that the Prime Minister visited Greece. I believe he is a good Indian leader with an independent personality…He’s doing a good job.”
#WATCH | Athens, Greece | Professor Dimitrios Vassiliadis, Indologist and Sanskrit & Hindi professor at the University of Athens says, “Delightful that the Prime Minister visited Greece…I think he is a good leader of India and an independent personality…He is doing good… https://t.co/zF4iPJEZaa pic.twitter.com/wQ6geohD9S
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2023
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at Athens Conservatoire. Speaking of India’s recent achievements, he highlighted the country’s successful landing at the south pole of the moon, a milestone in space exploration.
PM Modi discussed his administration’s accomplishments over the last nine years during his speech, emphasising unprecedented investments in infrastructure development. He further celebrated the triumphant Chandrayaan 3 mission and the display of India’s capabilities to the world.
Recalling the civilizational connection between India and Greece, Modi highlighted the spread of Guru Nanak’s message of peace and fraternity across Greece. He drew parallels between his birthplaces, Vadnagar in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, and Athens’s historical significance.
This visit marked PM Modi’s first by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in four decades. The last Prime Ministerial visit to Greece occurred in 1983, and in 2019, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited New Delhi.
