Watch: PM Modi's 'Swachh America' Gesture Wins Hearts, Leaves Officials Stunned In Houston

Asserting the importance of cleanliness, PM Modi once again showed to the world that he practises what he preaches. On his arrival at the George Bush Intercontinental airport in Houston on Saturday, PM Modi was presented with a bouquet of flowers by an American dignitary. A flower fell off the bouquet and to everyone’s surprise, Modi bent down and picked it up himself.

#WATCH United States: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Houston, Texas. He has been received by Director, Trade and International Affairs, Christopher Olson and other officials. US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla also present. pic.twitter.com/3CqvtHkXlk

— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2019

Twitter users hailed PM Modi for his gesture towards cleanliness and appreciated his simplicity. One of the users wrote, "Where PM Narendra Modi spontaneously picks up a flower or a stem, which had fallen on the ground from a bouquet presented to him, and hands it over to his security staff. Simplicity!" 

Where PM Narendra Modi spontaneously picks up a flower or a stem, which had fallen on the ground from a bouquet presented to him, and hands it over to his security staff. #SwachhBharatMission even in the US! #ModiInUSA #HowdyMody

— Kumar Shakti Shekhar (@ShaktiShekhar) September 21, 2019

Another user posted, "A part of that bouquet fallen on ground was picked up by NAMO Such is the down to earth nature of our PM that he doesn't even cares for any protocol." 

A part of that bouquet fallen on ground was picked up by NAMO

Such is the down to earth nature of our PM that he doesn't even cares for any protocol.

— Rishi Mishra (@RishiMishra_) September 21, 2019

PM Modi was received at the airport by Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla, US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, and other senior officials. 

Moreover, PM Modi is set to be awarded the “Global Goalkeepers Award” at the Lincoln Centre by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for leadership in the field of sanitation through the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”.

He will be felicitated for the progress India is making in improving sanitation facilities. In India, over 10 crore toilets have been built since the launch of the Swachh Bharat programme on October 2, 2014.

From Houston, Modi will fly to New York where he will address the annual high-level UN General Assembly session in New York on September 27 and will have a packed agenda of bilateral and multilateral engagements.

Modi will met Trump in New York on Tuesday, the fourth meeting between the two leaders in as many months. The meeting in New York is expected to set the tone of bilateral relationship between the two countries over the next few years.

The two leaders are likely to discuss a range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including efforts to address the growing bilateral trade disputes, potential defence and energy deals and peace process in Afghanistan.