Before US visit, New Jersey restaurant to launch ‘Modi Ji Thali’

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s ensuing state visit to the United States, a New Jersey-based restaurant has readied a special ‘Modi Ji Thali’ as the PM Modi will be arriving in the US.

Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in June. The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22.

PM Modi has a huge fanbase not only in India but overseas and there is an outpouring of love and adulation from the Indian diaspora wherever he goes.

The ‘Modi Ji Thali’, curated by chef Shripad Kulkarni, comprises dishes as diverse as the Indian landscape. The dishes in the Thali range from Khichdi, Rasgulla, Sarso Da Saag, and Dum Aloo to Kashmiri, Idli, Dhokla, Chaach, and Papad.

Recently, the United Nations declared 2023 as the “International Year of Millets” after a recommendation from the Indian Government in the year 2019. To celebrate this achievement and promote awareness of millets, the restaurant has consciously indulged in a lavish feast prepared using millets.

The restaurant owner also plans to launch another Thali dedicated to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar soon.
“We plan to launch this thali soon. I’m very positive that it’s going to gain popularity. Once this does well I also plan to launch a Dr Jaishankar Thali, because he too has that rockstar appeal amongst the Indian American community,” Malhotra said.

Indian Americans are planning to welcome him with an ‘India Unity Day’ march in 20 major cities across America on June 18, organisers have announced.

While a group of Indian Americans are planning to go to Andrews Air Force Base when the Prime Ministers Air India One lands on June 21 afternoon from New York, more than 600 community members are planning to gather at Freedom Plaza in front of the Willard Intercontinental in Washington located near the White House where the PM will be staying. At freedom plaza, the community will showcase the cultural fabric of India through cultural events representing India spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and West to East.

On June 22, more than seven thousand of Indian Americans are planning to be on the South Lawns of the White House when President Biden and the First Lady would welcome the Prime Minister amidst a 21-gun salute. The White House will be closing the registration shortly for those attending the welcome ceremony.

In the US, PM Modi will also address the chairman and CEOs of top US companies at John F Kennedy Centre in Washington. Followed by an address to the Indian diaspora at Ronald Reagan Center in DC in the evening.
On June 21, several top Indian-Americans are also excited to join Prime Minister Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex in New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day event, soon after arriving in the country, thousands of Indian Americans are set to stand in support outside the UN.

This is not the first time a restaurant has dedicated a Thali to PM Modi.

Last year, ahead of PM Modi’s birthday on September 17, a Delhi-based restaurant launched a Thali named 56inch Narendra Modi Thali.

ARDOR 2.1, a restaurant located in Connaught Place, Delhi, presented the big-sized thali having 56 items, with the customer having the choice of opting for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

The owner of ARDOR 2.1 restaurant, Sumit Kalara, told ANI earlier, “I respect PM Modi-ji so much. He is the pride of our nation and we wanted to gift something unique on his birthday. So, we decided to launch this grand thali named ’56inch Modi Ji’ Thali. We want to gift him this thali and want him to come here and eat. But, due to security reasons, we can’t do that, so this is for all of his fans who love him a lot. Please come and enjoy this thali.” (TOI)