Apple CEO Tim Cook visits Siddhivinayak, performs aarti

Global tech giant Apple Inc's CEO Tim Cook kicked off his maiden India trip with an early morning visit to the famed Shree Siddhivinayak temple in Prabhadevi, central Mumbai, where he performed a special 'aarti'.

Sporting a light blue shirt and dark trousers with a yellow stole having Sanskrit scriptures in orange, Cook performed a special 'aarti' of the temple's presiding deity, Lord Ganesha -- who symbolizes wisdom and is the remover of all obstacles.

Accompanied by Apple India head Sanjay Kaul, Cook's temple visit was a prelude to a host of meetings lined up with top business and Bollywood personalities later in the day.

At the temple Cook ran into Anant Ambani, the scion of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and chatted with him for some time.

Among the engagements lined up for the Apple CEO include meetings with Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry and other top industrialists, besides Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

Though his official program is kept under a lid, during his India trip Cook is likely to visit the IT capitals of Bengaluru and Hyderabad and later New Delhi.

"Whatever we wish to share, we have already done this morning," an official told IANS, referring to the announcement of Apple's plans to set up a new iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru in early 2017.

Cook arrived here late Tuesday night from Beijing in a private jet and is staying in the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in south Mumbai.

--IANS

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