British PM Theresa May to visit Bengaluru on Tuesday

Theresa May will also visit the Someshwara Temple at Halasuru and will seek blessings of its deity, Shiva

Bengaluru, Nov 5: British Prime Minister Theresa May will be in this tech hub on Tuesday on the last leg of her maiden three-day official visit to India starting Sunday, an official said.

"May has a busy schedule during her day-long visit on Tuesday as she will participate in as many as five events soon after arriving from New Delhi," a protocol officer told IANS here.

The 60-year-old British leader is arriving in New Delhi on Sunday for her first bilateral visit outside the European Union after she assumed office in July following the resignation of David Cameron in wake of Brexit, or Britain's vote to leave the European grouping.

"May's first engagement will be at the international airport around 11 a.m. where she will meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the VIP lounge for bilateral discussions," said the official who declined to be named as he is not authorised to brief the media on the visit.

May will then drive to the state-run Stone Hill model school near Papanahalli in the city's northern suburb to interact with its students.

She will visit Dynamatic Technologies Ltd at the Peenya industrial state for a firsthand account of the aerospace firm's manufacturing facility.

"From Peenya, May will go to the Someshwara Temple at Halasuru in the city centre and seek blessings of its deity, Shiva. The 15th century temple is one of the oldest in the southern state, dating back to the Chola period," the official noted.

May's last engagement in the city will be a luncheon meeting with chief executives of India Inc at a leading hotel before flying to London in the evening.

An Indo-British Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) delegation will also call on her after the luncheon meet.

"Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the safety of May and her delegation. Vehicular traffic will be diverted and regulated to facilitate quick and smooth passage of her motorcade," the official added.

May will be the fourth British Premier to visit Bengaluru after her (Conservative) Party's then leader John Major on January 9, 1997, his Labour Party successor Tony Blair on January 4, 2002 and Cameron on July 28, 2010.

IANS