Royal banquet in honor of Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan, unique juxtaposition of Russia-India tastes in the menu

A grand state banquet was organized at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday night in honor of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This banquet continued from the evening and by around 9 o’clock Putin was present with his delegation in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. In this special event, a unique confluence of traditional dishes of both India and Russia was seen.

Who attended the dinner?

The dinner was attended by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Cabinet members, industry leaders, cultural personalities and more than 150 guests in total.

According to the information released by Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Draupadi Murmu herself welcomed Putin on his arrival. President Murmu appreciated Putin’s personal role in strengthening the long-standing special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia. Both the leaders expressed confidence that India-Russia relations will become stronger and more stable in the coming years.

Glimpse of cultural heritage

The banquet showcased India’s rich hospitality, traditions and diversity in a creative manner. The food menu included dishes like Russian Borscht and Kashmiri Wazwan, which reflected a beautiful combination of the flavors of both the countries. According to reports, during the banquet, the Tri-Services Military Band, comprising musicians from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, performed live on popular tunes of India and Russia. The band was going to give a special performance of patriotic tunes like ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ and ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’.

Memories of 2018 and Putin’s choice

Earlier in 2018, a dinner was organized in Putin’s honor at Hyderabad House, in which many dishes like salmon fillet, roasted lamb, creamy chicken, watermelon cream soup and lotus-cucumber kebab were served. It is believed that some such dishes would have been included in the menu this time too.

Putin, 73, is known for liking simple, high-protein based meals. He loves Russian cottage cheese tvorog, porridge mixed with honey, quail eggs, lamb dishes, smoked sturgeon and light salads. He rarely eats sweet or spicy food, although he does not forget to taste pistachio ice cream occasionally.