PM Modi's three-nation tour: Indian carnival in Hanover

Some 120 CEOs of Indian companies as well as union ministers and chief ministers are accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial fair. An event was held on Sunday evening where the cultural diversity of Indian states was showcased to an audience that comprised Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top businessmen from both countries.

Protestors did their bit

A few intrepid Germans, braving the chill, had come uninvited. More than a dozen Amnesty International volunteers assembled behind barricades, holding placards that screamed “dirty clothes, dirty conscience”, and one more that said: “after 30 years, still no justice” (an obvious reference to the Union Carbide case). There was an odd banner demanding guaranteed religious freedom and protection of the minorities. But, inside the portals of the hall, the industrialists had moved on. By the time the function got over, the people outside had disappeared.

Team spirit



The Tatas have come as a team. At least three top-level executives accompanied Cyrus Mistry, chairman of the group. R Mukundan from Tata Chemicals, Tata Steel’s TV Narendran and Madhu Kannan, who heads business development and public affairs at Tata Sons. Mistry, who was given the pride of place along with the chiefs of German heavyweights such as Deutsche Bank, Volkswagen, Siemens AG and Daimler, was immediately greeted by Yashodhara Raje Scindia, minister for commerce and industry in Madhya Pradesh, who emerged from the sidelines to chat with him briefly.

On the sidelines



Deepak Parekh, was there at the event in his capacity as the chairman of Siemens India. A big fan of German business practices and way of doing business, he preferred to keep to the sidelines, unlike in India where he would have occupied the pride of place at any such event.





Pure business



Anshu Jain of Deutsche Bank sat quietly in the front row, distracted by his phone and a sheaf of papers, while his German peers from Volkswagen and Siemens were completely engrossed by the event that had the cultural event as the highlight. He was seen checking the documents and his phone periodically, and quite understandably as he is one of the main hosts of the Prime Minsiter’s visit to Germany.



On a light note



Adani Group head Gautam Adani was present, so was Prashant Ruia of the Essar Group. When they bumped into each other, naturally wisecracks followed. “Mein aap ka papa ( Shashi Ruia) ko poocha us din, kyon aap, aap ka beta ko dhauda rahe ho, sabi jagah (I asked your dad, why are you making your son run everywhere),” Adani said amid guffaws. Ruia just smiled.

Grand show



Narendra Modi came with two teleprompters that helped him look at everyone in their eye while delivering the keynote speech. Chancellor Angela Merkel came to the dais with a sheaf of papers in which she was seen scrolling a few points impromptu before her time came to respond to Modi’s speech. In her deadpan German humour, she said Germany will adjust and make way for the Indian lion, a computer image that seemed like striding the many alleys of the hall as the grand Indian cultural show came to an end. The lion, the Make in India symbol, forced Merkel to even mistake that it was really approaching her, as she warily turned her head to look behind her. But it was merely Indian ingenuity that saw enthralled German CEOs clap enthusiastically as the animated lion ended the show by transforming itself into mechanical pieces of an engine, like gears and shafts.



In good company



CK Birla, chairman of the CK Birla group that owns Orient Cement and Orient Paper, and Ajay Shriram, chairman of DCM Shriram, were seen together for most of the time during the opening night. So was the case with the Tata group executives who preferred to sit together. Nikhil Meswani, board member of Reliance Industries representing Mukesh Ambani, was seen schmoosing with Deepak Parekh, chairman of HDFC and Siemens India, before the function started. While Gautam Adani had for a long time his partner in the energy venture, BK Goenka, giving him company along with Prashant Ruia.