New flower will bloom for India-Netherlands relations: President Kovind

President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Monday afternoon arrived at Amsterdam capital of the Netherlands on three days official visit and visited World famous Tulip Garden at Keukenhof.

President Kovind along with his wife and the First Lady Savita Kovind arrived in Amsterdam on a three-day official visit.

To mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and the Netherlands, a Tulip flower was named 'Maitree' by President Kovind.

Speaking on this occasion at Tulip Garden, President Kovind said "today, a new flower will bloom for India-Netherlands relations. We are naming the tulip flower 'Maitri' which in Sanskrit means friendship. I sincerely thank the Government of the Netherlands for this unique gesture and also wish to appreciate the efforts of the breeders of this beautiful new Tulip variant. It will inspire us to work towards strengthening bonds of friendship and ties between people of India and the Netherlands."

President Kovind further stated that it is my pleasure to be in the Netherlands. I have undertaken this State Visit on the special occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

"I am very happy to be at the Keukenhof the garden of Europe and home to the world-famous tulips. The garden attracts millions of visitors each year and heralds spring in the Netherlands. It showcases the Dutch expertise in horticulture which makes it the world's largest producer and exporter of tulips," he said.

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, in the Netherlands.

According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually.

Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations, and irises. It is located in the province of South Holland, south of Haarlem, and southwest of Amsterdam in the area called the "Dune and Bulb Region."

Though its grounds are open year-round for private affairs and festivals, Keukenhof is only open to the general public for a world-renowned 8-week tulip display from mid-March to mid-May with peak viewing arriving near mid-April.

In 2019, 1.5 million people visited Keukenhof. The presidential visit to the Netherlands comes after 34 years since the visit of President Venkataraman in 1988.

( With inputs from ANI )

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