President to meet PM's mother during his Gujarat visit

President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a two-day Gujarat visit from Saturday during which he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Hiraben and visit a famous Jain temple-cum-museum near Gandhinagar, officials said on Thursday.

As per his itinerary, Kovind will arrive here on Saturday evening and stay at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital.

On Sunday morning, he would first go to Raisan village near Gandhinagar to meet Modi's nonagenarian mother Hiraba, who lives with the PM's younger brother Pankaj Modi, said the officials.

The president would then head to Koba village near Raisan to seek blessings of spiritual leader Acharya Shri Padmasagarsuriji of the Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra, they said.

The premises of Aradhana Kendra at Koba houses a Jain temple, library and a museum having numerous articles of Indian and Jain heritage, said trustee of the institution, Shripal Shah.

"The president wanted to see the museum since long. Thus, we have invited him on October 13. The president would also take blessings of our Acharya Shri Padmasagarsuriji during his visit," Shah said.

The museum has a large collection of manuscripts, ancient scrolls, miniature paintings, antiquities and statues, among other items, he said.

"We are trying to preserve our heritage and Kovind's visit can be seen as a gesture to appreciate our efforts," said Shah.