Content area
Full text
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated a hospital in Dickoya in Central Province of Sri Lanka, built with Indian assistance. A large number of people lined the roadside, to welcome Prime Minister Modi, who later addressed a large gathering of Indian Origin Tamils at Norwood, in the presence of the Sri Lankan President, Sri Lankan Prime Minister, and a large number of community leaders. During the address, the Prime Minister spoke of the contributions of the Indian Origin Tamil community to Sri Lanka, and the long shared heritage between India and Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister also met representatives of the Ceylon Workers Congress, and the Tamil Progressive Alliance.
Following are some key excerpts from the Prime Minister's address to an estimated audience of about 30,000 people, mostly Indian Origin Tamils in Central Sri Lanka:
It is a great pleasure to be here today.
And, I am most grateful for your warm and enthusiastic welcome.
It is a tremendous honour to be the first Indian Prime Minister ever to visit this beautiful region of Sri Lanka.
But, it is a greater honour to have the opportunity to speak with you.
People the world over are familiar with famous Ceylon Tea that originates in this fertile land.
What is less known is that it is your sweat and toil that makes the Ceylon Tea the brew of choice for millions around the globe.
If Sri Lanka today is the third largest exporter of tea, it is because of your hard work.
It is your labour of love which is instrumental in Sri Lanka meeting almost 17% of the world's demand for tea, and earning more than 1.5 billion US dollars in foreign exchange.
You are that indispensable backbone of the thriving Sri Lankan tea industry that justly prides itself on its success and global reach today.
Your contribution is deeply valued across Sri Lanka and beyond.
I for one truly appreciate your hard work.
You and I have something in common.
As some of you may have heard, I have a special association with tea.
Chai pe Charcha, or discussions over tea, is not just a slogan.
Rather, a mark...