President leaves on two-nation visit

President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday left on a week-long foreign trip that will see him inaugurate a major Indian cultural festival in Brussels, Belgium, and pay a state visit to Turkey.

He will visit Belgium from Oct 2-5 on the invitation of King Philippe. It would be the first visit by an Indian president to Belgium. He will visit Turkey from Oct 5-7, at the invitation of the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul.

The president is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including four vice chancellors of Indian universities.