Benglauru: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday visited a 700-year-old Hindu temple and aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industries in the Garden City.
Clad in a colourful sari, Theresa May on Tuesday visited a 700-year-old Hindu temple here and took blessings of its presiding deity Someshwara, a form of Lord Shiva. “May stepped into the temple barefoot in sari and worshipped the deity in the spirit of our Hindu tradition by offering flowers, a coconut and betel nuts,” head priest Ramnath Deekshith told reporters.
Taking time off her busy schedule during her day-long visit to the city on the final leg of her three-day visit to India, the 60-year-old May drove to the temple and went around its precincts spanning the main hall, the Nandi statue, expressing her marvel at the architecture inside. “May also witnessed the ritual of ‘arti’ and admired our way of worshipping the gods,” Deekshith said after taking her around the temple.
The original structure of the temple was built during the Chola period during the 14th-15th century. Behind schedule in arriving at the temple, she spent about 10-12 minutes instead of 20 minutes originally planned.
“She was very happy to see the temple’s unique architecture and appreciated that our family has been performing the rituals and making offerings to the deity over the last 13 generations,” said Deekshith.
May, however, did not enter the sanctum sanctorum. Hundreds of people gathered around the temple for a glimpse of May, while a few attempted to enter the premises but kept away by the security personnel. The temple was out of bounds for the devotees between 12.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to facilitate May’s visit.
Later in the day, May visited a little-known aerospace facility, which makes components for aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industries and also has two plants at Swindon and Bristol in Britain. On a day-long trip here on the final leg of her maiden three-day official visit to India, May drove to Dynamatic Technologies Ltd in the Peenya industrial area for a firsthand account of its operations.
According to a company statement, May also witnessed Dynamatics’ Chief Executive Udayant Malhoutra delivering the first commercial set of A330 flap track beams, produced jointly in Britain and India to Airbus Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams. “The agreement between Dynamatic and Airbus highlights the strength of the British-India partnership which will provide benefits for both our economies and ensure we remain at the cutting edge of technology and manufacturing,” said May.
Dynamatic will provide flap track beams for Airbus’ twin aisle A330 model. The parts will be manufactured in its facilities in Swindon, Bristol and Bengaluru.
“As iconic British and Indian businesses, Dynamatic and Airbus are leading the way in building the strategic partnership I want to see between our two nations. I look forward to seeing this commercial relationship continue to grow,” added May.
The 120 million pound (Rs 985 crore) 10-year contract will create 60 jobs across the company’s British plants and 100 jobs at its Bengaluru facility.
“Our facilities in Britain and India are able to provide global best value to Airbus, with the manufacture of complex parts at our factories in Bristol and Swindon, along with craftsmanship and assembly at our facilities in Bengaluru,” said Malhoutra in the statement.
Flap-track-beams are high tech guide rails fitted to the wings of the aircraft, which are crucial in controlling speed, direction and balance.
“The role Dynamatic plays in manufacturing the major wing component means India shares in the success of our programme, as well as being of benefit to the company’s British facilities,” noted Williams.
