President Ram Nath Kovind.President Ram Nath Kovind had special guests at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. Eleven members of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s family, including his grandnephew Dhirajlal Patel, spent the day at the President’s Estate. They visited the Mughal Gardens, the museum and had lunch with the President and his wife. Kovind had connected with the family when he visited the Statue of Unity in December last year and is learnt to have invited them to spend a day at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On Menu
Over a thali lunch at the Andhra Bhawan canteen, Congress president Rahul Gandhi met seven small and micro business owners as part of his ‘Apni Baat Rahul Ke Saath’ outreach programme. He had earlier interacted with students at a restaurant as part of the series. Among those Rahul met was a small hotel owner in Kargil and an IIT graduate who runs a business producing sanitary napkins. Among others were a solar power entrepreneur and an entrepreneur from Meghalaya.
On Top Table
Just weeks before the country decides which Union ministers are elected back, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Information & Broadcasting, and Youth Affairs & Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore made his debut at the Cabinet briefings on Tuesday. His senior Cabinet colleague Arun Jaitley had already started speaking when Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad interrupted Jaitley to ask Rathore to join them on stage, even though the media was told only Prasad and Jaitley will address them. Rathore had, in fact, returned home after attending a ministry event in the afternoon sine he was not feeling well, but came back for the Cabinet briefing.
