VP Naidu, Bhutan's Queen Mother inaugurate week-long Bhutan Week

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Bhutan's Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck Sunday jointly inaugurated 'Bhutan Week', a week long cultural extravaganza, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Queen Mother is accompanied by the cabinet secretary, the foreign secretary and other senior officials of the neighbouring country.

"Join in the golden jubilee celebration of establishment of diplomatic relations between India & Bhutan. Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck & @VPSecretariat M.Venkaiah Naidu jointly inaugurate 'Bhutan Week', a weeklong cultural extravaganza. 23-30 Sept., 2018. IGNCA, New Delhi (sic)," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

Year 2018 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Bhutan and India.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, 'Bhutan Week' is being organised by the Royal Bhutanese Embassy here in partnership with the MEA, the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) at IGNCA Complex here, from September 23 to 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan said in a statement.

The 'Bhutan Week' will be the biggest event on Bhutan ever held in India with a cross-section of 300 participants from Bhutan who will showcase Bhutan's rich culture and the Bhutanese way of life, the statement added.

On Saturday, the Queen Mother also called on President Ram Nath Kovind.