- Saturday, July 06, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE chief minister of the western Indian state of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, on Tuesday (2) met the French ambassador to India, Dr Thierry Mathou, and discussed ways to utilise the European nation’s expertise in organising the Olympic Games in his state as India is planning to bid for the 2036 edition of the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’.
French capital Paris is set to hold the Olympic Games this year from July 26 and August 11. The city has held the Games twice in the past — in 1900 and 1924. France has overall hosted six Olympic Games (three summer and as many winter).
In Patel’s meeting with Mathou, discussions focused on utilising France’s expertise in organizing the Olympic Games in Gujarat in 2036 if India wins the bid, the statement said.
Patel conveyed Gujarat’s keen interest in making use of France’s knowledge and skills in infrastructure and other facilities essential for hosting the international multi-sport event. He also wished to explore how this infrastructure could serve long-term purposes beyond the event, it said.
The French envoy also expressed keen interest in strengthening collaboration with Gujarat, specifically in renewable energy, ports and sports sectors, the release said.
Mathou also visited prestigious educational institutes IIM and NID in Ahmedabad and expressed interest in establishing an educational complex in GIFT City along with Mahatma Gandhi International School.
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Patel later tweeted about his meeting with the French official on X.
ફ્રાન્સના ભારત સ્થિત એમ્બેસેડર ડૉ. થિયરી માથૌ સાથે ગાંધીનગરમાં મુલાકાત કરી. ફ્રાન્સ અને ગુજરાત વચ્ચે રિન્યુએબલ એનર્જી, પોર્ટ્સ અને સ્પોર્ટ્સ સહિતના ક્ષેત્રોમાં સહભાગિતા વધારવા અંગે તેમની સાથે ચર્ચા કરી.
વર્ષ 2036માં ગુજરાતમાં ઓલમ્પિક્સના આયોજનમાં ફ્રાન્સની તજજ્ઞતાનો લાભ મળે તે… pic.twitter.com/aO3HuyHKBH
— Bhupendra Patel (@Bhupendrapbjp) July 2, 2024
Patel also met New Zealand’s high commissioner to India and Japan’s consul general based in Mumbai separately, a government statement said.
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The New Zealand diplomat, Patrick Rata, in his meeting with the chief minister of Gujarat, expressed keen interest in learning about the state’s overall development, including its economic and industrial progress, aiming to strengthen mutual relations, the statement said.
The consul general of Japan in Mumbai, Yagi Koji, during his courtesy visit to Patel, stated that ties between India and the Asian country have opened new avenues for business and economic relations, driven by the success of the state’s biennial Vibrant Global Summit, which has encouraged numerous Japanese industries to invest in Gujarat, the statement said.
(With PTI inputs)
