Ivanka in Hyderabad to attend GES

Hyderabad, Nov 28 (IANS) US President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump arrived in India amid tight security early on Tuesday to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), beginning here later in the day.

US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, India's Ambassador to US Navtej Sarna, spokesperson of Minister of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar and senior officials of the central and Telangana governments received her at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad around 3 a.m.

"Warm welcome to a special guest. Advisor to the President of USA@IvankaTrump arrives in Hyderabad," tweeted Raveesh Kumar.

US Consul General in Hyderabad, Katherine Hadda, state's Principal Secretary Information Technology Industry and Commerce Jayesh Ranjan, and senior police officers Anjani Kumar and Shikha Goyal were among those who received her at a simple ceremony.

Emerging from the airport terminal, she shook hands with the officials before boarding a vehicle to reach Trident Hotel in Hitec City, about two km from Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), the venue of GES.

State government officials had earlier said that she will stay in Westin Hotel in the same area.

Ivanka Trump, who is leading the US delegation, will be attending the inaugural session in the evening along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The three-day event being co-hosted by the US and India will be attended by 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors and eco-system supporters from 150 countries.

Ivanka Trump, who is visiting India at the invitation of the Prime Minister, will reach HICC at 3 p.m. and meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

After the inaugural session of GES and a panel discussion, Ivanka will return to hotel.

Around 8 p.m., she will leave for Taj Falaknuma, a palace hotel in the old city where Modi is hosting a dinner for her and other GES delegates. After the dinner, she will come back to the hotel.

On Wednesday she will leave for HICC around 9 a.m. and address another session at GES. She will leave HICC at 12 noon. Security agencies were tight-lipped on her itinerary for the rest of the day.

State government officials said the US security authorities had kept her schedule under tight wraps due to high security threat perception.

Sources said Ivanka Trump may visit the old city for a sight-seeing tour.

She is likely to see Charminar, a globally recognised monument and symbol of Hyderabad, and also shop at nearby Laad Bazar, famous for bangles, bridal wear, semi-precious stones, pearls, jewellery and silverware.

Ivanka Trump may also visit historic Makkah Masjid and Chowmohalla Palace, one of the Nizam palaces.

Tight security arrangements have been made for Ivanka Trump and Modi's visit and for other delegates.

Telangana Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy said over 10,000 security personnel have been deployed.

While US security agencies are taking care of Ivanka Trump's security, the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) is providing security to the Prime Minister.