As democracy takes roots in Myanmar, Suu Kyi keeps India visit low-key

Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during which they discussed a variety of issues including the national reconciliation process underway in Myanmar and the process of democratisation in this context.

According to official sources, the Prime Minister told Suu Kyi that "our good wishes are with you as indeed with your struggle for democracy. We admire you for the indomitable courage you have shown" during the meeting which lasted for about half-an-hour following which they met without aides.

"The two discussed a variety of issues including the national reconciliation process underway in Myanmar and the process of democratisation in this context. The Prime Minister welcomed the progress made by Daw Suu Kyi and President Thien Sien," the sources said.

The two leaders also agreed that people-to-people relations were important apart from holding discussions about greater cooperation between the Parliaments and judiciaries of the two countries.

The Prime Minister expressed his happiness to receive Suu Kyi in New Delhi and thanked her for accepting the invitation to deliver the Jawaharlal Nehru lecture. She was invited by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Suu Kyi is here after a gap of nearly four decades as part of New Delhi's ongoing engagement with democratic and multi-party polity in Myanmar.

During her nearly week-long stay, Suu Kyi will visit her alma mater, Lady Sri Ram College, where she will interact with the faculty and students.

Besides her engagements in Delhi, she will be travelling to Bangalore where she will visit the Indian Institute of Science and the Infosys campus. She is also scheduled to tour rural areas in Andhra Pradesh to gain a first-hand impression of rural development and women's empowerment programmes being undertaken in India.

Suu Kyi spent several years in India during her early days when her mother Daw Khin Yi was Ambassador to India. She also spent some time as a Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study in Shimla in 1987.

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