Maha: Prez inaugurates 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan'

President Ram Nath Kovind arrived here Monday to inaugurate the three-day 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan' at Mangi Tungi in Satana taluka, about 125 kilometres from here.

The president and his wife, Savita Kovind, were welcomed at the Ojhar Airport here by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre and other officials.

After arriving in Mangi Tungi, site of the 108-foot tall statue of Jain Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev, the president took a helicopter tour of the twin-peak hill.

He then proceeded to the site of the conference where he was welcomed on a specially erected stage by Pitadhish Ravindrakriti Swami, president of the Rishabhdev Murti Nirmann Samiti, 84-year-old Jain monk Gyanmati Mataji among others.

Kovind lit the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan' (world peace and non-violence conference), organised by the Bhagwan Rishabhdev Murti Nirmaan Samiti.

At the function, the president will present the first international 'Bhagwan Rishabhdev Award' to Teerthanker Mahaveer University, based in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.