91-year-old among diaspora who arrive in Sydney to greet PM Modi

SYDNEY: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a grand welcome when he landed in Sunday to commence his three-day visit to Australia.

Among those who had gathered to greet PM Modi included 91-year-old Dr Navamani Chandra Bose who journeyed from Melbourne to meet the Indian prime minister in Sydney, according to The Australia Today.

She was full of energy and passion and very happy to travel by "Modi Airways."

"Very happy today and it's going to be a great event," said the nonagenarian who arrived by the 'Modi Airways,' a specially charted flight that took off from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport.

The plane full of Indians from across Australia arrived this morning for the diapsora event in Sydney.

During PM Modi Australian visit, the Prime Ministers of both countries will attend a community event in Sydney to celebrate Australia's dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora, "a core part of our multicultural community", the Australian government said in a statement.

Visuals from Melbourne Airport tweeted on the Indian Australian Diaspora Foundation, which is organising the event in Sydney showed passengers waving the tricolour and dancing.

According to a report in the Australia Today, 177 people had booked to be part of a the special "Modi Airways" flight from Melbourne to Sydney. Among the passengers on the flight was 91-year-old Navamani Chandra Bose.

She was accompanied by her daughter who said that Dr Navamani is the wife of NS Chandra Bose who was the President of the Indian Medical Association from 1991 to 1992 and had served as the President of the Tamil Nadu State Bharatiya Janata Party from 1995 to 1997.

"I'm the daughter and this is the wife of Dr Chandra Bose who was the state President of Tamil Nadu's BJP from 1995-1997," she said.

PM Modi is on a three-day visit to Australia, with whom India signed a historic trade deal last year. Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian community upon landing in Sydney.

This is the Indian PM's second visit to the country after 2014. During his visit PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.

At their bilateral meeting, the leaders will discuss trade and investment, including efforts to boost trade between the two countries through a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

The Australia visit is on the last and final leg of PM Modi's three-nation tour. After meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, PM Modi will attend a community event to celebrate the country's dynamic, diverse Indian diaspora.

Ahead of Modi's arrival, Prime Minister Albanese said in a statement, "I am honoured to host Prime Minister Modi for an official visit to Australia, after receiving an extremely warm welcome in India earlier this year."