President Patil confers Nehru Award on Iceland President

New Delhi, Jan 15 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil conferred the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding on Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland, here on Thursday.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Present Sonia Gandhi were among the distinguished guests on the occasion.

In his acceptance speech, Grimsson called for cooperation between India and Iceland in the field of clean energy and other sectors.

"To establish cooperation between India and Iceland, scientists, glaciologists and experts on the use of soil and water together with a training of Indian students in these areas has been in the last for years a part of my mission," Grimsson said.

Grimsson dedicated the funds associated with the Nehru Award for the promotion of cooperation between scientists of the two countries in understanding glaciers and water resources in the Himalayas.

"I have therefore decided to dedicate the funds associated with the Nehru Award to promoting such cooperation between India and Iceland," he said.

Grímsson and his wife, Dorrit Moussaieff, are currently on a state visit to India.

The President and his entourage will also visit Bangalore. (ANI)