Indo-French club launched ahead of Emmanuel Macron’s Kashi visit

VARANASI: A group of citizens and some French nationals, including tourists, have formed a club to give a warm welcome to French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their proposed visit on March 12 and also work for strengthening ties between the people of the two nations.

Formal launching of the club took place at Assi Ghat on Thursday evening. “On my first India visit, I had seen the then French president Francois Mitterrand in Agra in 1982. And now on my 21st India visit, I am getting opportunity to see my President Emmanuel Macron in Varanasi,” said Mustafa, a 60-year-old native of Paris.

Mustafa was leading a group of French tourists who had come to Assi Ghat on Thursday evening to join the Indo-French Club, an initiative of some local youths to strengthen people-topeople contact ahead of the high-profile visit.


The club coordinator, Uttam Ojha, said: “We aim at bringing the people of the two nations at one forum to share history, culture, arts and food. The club will hold various academic, art and cultural activities for the next five days at the ghats along the Ganga by involving more French tourists.”


Portraits of PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron at Assi Ghat on Thursday ‘One life is not enough to discover India’


Like Mustafa, all French tourists in his group have been frequenting Indian tourist destinations for the past many years. Another Paris native, Fabien, who is in India for the12th time, said, “One life is not enough to discover India, which has different cultures in all its parts. I had come to India for the firsttime to attend marriage of a friend, but started frequenting this country because it teaches you to know what you are from inside and where you stand spiritually.”


“I gotinformation aboutMacron’s Varanasi visit two days back, when I had already booked a ticket to leave Varanasi on Friday. Had I been aware about my president’s visit before booking the ticket, I would have stayed on,” he added.


An elderly tourist, Marie, of Rennes city in France and her companions like Francoise were keen toknowwhether they can get passes to see Macron from close. Expressing similar intent, Mustafa also revealed how he converted to Buddhism in 1978 after getting inspired by theDalai Lama and visitedIndia for thefirsttime in 1982.


“I saw Mitterrand in Agra in 1982 and nowwill get a chanceto seeMacron in Varanasi. Itis also a coincidence that I share my date of birth with Macron, which is December 21. I am his supporter,” said Mustafa, who will leave for Dharmshala in Himanchal Pradeshon March14.


Several French tourists accompanying Mustafa said spirituality, culture, food and Yoga have always attractedthe people of their country towardsIndia.

An assistant professor of French in Banaras Hindu University, Geetanjali Singh, who also accompaniedthe members of this newly formedclub, said: “In recent years we are seeing how Frenchembassy is giving a push to the efforts of attracting Indian students towards France for higher and technical studies.

It is also resulting in increasing number of admission seekers in French language classes.” “Most of the students of foreign language are in French classes. It is expected that Macron’s visit will increase the charm of French learning as the number of tourists from France also remains very high,” she added.