New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday welcomed a distinguished international delegation comprising Members of Parliament from various countries, former diplomats, and defence and strategic affairs experts.

Gupta apprised the delegates – including representatives from the UK, France, Nepal, Serbia and Sri Lanka – of the Assembly’s rich history, highlighting that the building originally served as the First Parliament of the Central Legislative Assembly during the pre-independence era.

He informed them about transformative initiatives such as NeVA (National e-Vidhan Application) for a fully digital, paperless House and the successful transition of the Assembly into a completely solar-powered, green legislature, the statement said.

While joining the visitors in a guided tour of the historic premises and the Assembly House, Gupta highlighted that the Assembly is guided by the vision of “Virasat Bhi, Vikaas Bhi” (history inspires the future).

The Speaker also honoured the delegates with a traditional ‘Patka’ and a special souvenir as a memory of their visit to the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Gupta also presented them with the Coffee Table Book “Delhi Legislative Assembly presents Shatabdi-Yatra, Veer Vithalbhai Patel,” dedicated to Vithalbhai Patel, the first Indian elected Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly.

The delegation included Enzo Alias, National Delegate of the Youth Movement, France; Sujit KC, Chairperson, National Democratic Youth Organization, Nepal; Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, Vice President, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and former IGP/Minister, Nepal; Filip Dewinter, Vice President, Flemish Parliament, Belgium; Anke Maria, Senator of Flanders, Belgium and Guyon Marc, French Consular Advisor, Hong Kong.

Others in the delegation included Sainkhvu Ganbaatar, Member of Parliament, Mongolia; Er. Sajina Karki, Central Committee Member and Communication Officer, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepal; Erdenebaatar Khash Erdene, Vice Director, Mongolian Development Bank; Aleksandar M. Gajic, Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Serbia; Prabha Mishra, Central Training Department, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepal; Kenneth Oliver Morris, English Political Advisor, the United Kingdom; Rajko Kapelan, Deputy, Assembly of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia; Geethanath Kassilingam, Politburo Member, SLPP, Sri Lanka and Ediriman Pandithage Sandwinya Laksarani Ediriman, Speaker, SLPP, Sri Lanka.

–IANS

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