Meridian Global Insights Mission to India February 1-7, 2020

Meridian Global Insights Mission to India
                                February 1-7, 2020

The Meridian Global Insights Mission provides delegation members a unique opportunity and
first-hand context of Meridian’s mission of strengthening diplomacy and U.S. engagement with
the world through the exchange of people, ideas and culture by:

• Exploring the important relationship between the United States and India, one of our country’s oldest
allies, by learning about India’s history, politics, economy, culture, religious and civic issues;

• Encouraging people-to-people exchange through interactions with India’s government and business
leaders as well as civil society leaders, scholars and historians;

• Empowering delegates to serve as citizen diplomats to further the global reach of Meridian
International Center through strategic dialogue, thoughtful discussion, and the open exchange of
ideas between participants and locals.

Itinerary      Fly to Delhi → 7 nights with a day-trip to Agra

 Day 1: Saturday 01 February 2020      Fly Delhi

Fly to Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Expected arrival 21:30 or 21:45
Met on arrival by our local representative and transfer to the Taj Mahal hotel in Delhi (15 km, about 30
minutes).

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)        www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj/taj-mahal-new-delhi/

 Day 2: Sunday 02 February 2020       New Delhi

Breakfast at Taj Mahal Hotel.

Explore Humayun's Tomb with a local historian guide. Humayun's Tomb is a superb example of early
Mughal architecture and one of the finest monuments in Delhi.
Enjoy an optional light yoga session at the Sunder Nursery next to Humayun's Tomb.
Guests who don’t want to partake in yoga can explore Sunder Nursery with the historian, visit the Farmers
Market. Sunder Nursery was gradually restored in phases since 2007 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up.

Lunch: Yellow Bricks at Ambassador hotel - Indian & Continental

Visit Gandhi Smriti Museum, The National Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) with
the historian guide.

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up.

Dinner: Dhaba at The Claridges - North Indian

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)

                                       Pic: Humayun's Tomb

Humayun's Tomb https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232/ http://www.humayunstomb.com/
Sunder Nursery http://www.sundernursery.org/home.php
Gandhi Smriti Museum https://www.gandhismriti.gov.in/about-us/gandhi-smriti
National Museum http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/
National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) http://ngmaindia.gov.in/

Day 3: Monday 03 February 2020       New Delhi

Breakfast at Taj Mahal Hotel.

Morning meetings (TBC)
Tour of Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House)
Meeting with Ambassador Ken Juster and tour of the American Embassy
Meeting with the ICCR President (Indian Council for Cultural Relations)

Stop by at India Gate and visit the War Memorial en route to lunch.

Lunch: Basil & Thyme, Sundar Nagar Market - Mediterranean

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up and change.

Drive to Qutab Minar (10 km, about 30 minutes)
Explore Qutab Minar and Mehrauli Archaeological Park with your historian guide.

Drive to Gurgaon and refresh at the Trivedi residence.

Dinner: The Aralias Club

Drive back to Delhi.

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)

                                    Pic: Qutab Minar

Qutab Minar https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/233/
http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/qutab_minar.jsp
Mehrauli Archaeological Park http://bit.ly/iemehraulipark

 Day 4: Tuesday 04 February 2020      Old Delhi

Breakfast at Taj Mahal Hotel.

Morning meetings (TBC)
Meeting with Shri Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (former Undersecretary General of the U.N.)
Meeting with Mr. Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament
Meeting with Mr. Amitabh Kant, Chair of NITI Aayog
Meeting with Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Min. of Food Processing Industries

Lunch: Chor Bizzare, Bikaner House - Kashmiri

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up and change.

Explore Old Delhi with your guide. Highlights include the Red Fort, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
who also built the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India.
Cycle rickshaw ride through the alleyways of Chandni Chowk and visit Raj Ghat memorial dedicated to
Mahatma Gandhi.

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up

Dinner: Bukhara at ITC Maurya - North-West Frontier

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)

                                   Pic: Chandni Chowk trader

Red Fort http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/red_fort.jsp
Jama Masjid http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/jama_masjid.jsp
Raj Ghat http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/memorial_delhi.jsp
Cycle rickshaw through the alleyways of Chandni Chowk

 Day 5: Wednesday 05 February 2020        Agra

Early breakfast Taj Mahal Hotel. (Depart 7 am). Drive to Agra (220 km, about 4 hours).

Visit the Taj Mahal https://www.tajmahal.gov.in/

Lunch: Sheroes https://www.sheroeshangout.com/
https://www.sheroeshangout.com/agra

Agra Fort on the banks of Yamuna River (2.30 pm)
https://www.agrafort.gov.in/indexNew/index.html

Transfer to Agra Cantt railway station for the train to Delhi
Gatimaan Express #12049. Agra Cantt-Hazrat Nizamuddin, 17:50-19:30

Transfer to the Taj Mahal hotel.

Dinner: Machan at Taj Mahal Hotel - Multi-Cuisine

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)
 Day 6: Thursday 06 February 2020        Delhi

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple          https://akshardham.com/

Lunch – Veda Restaurant, Connaught Place - North Indian & Mughlai

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up

The afternoon is free for shopping – local crafts, artefacts etc - Dilli Haat, Janpath & Tibetan Market
(contingency that there may be a meeting in the morning or afternoon)

Return to the Taj Mahal Hotel to freshen up

Dinner: Delhi Gymkhana Club (Speakers Dinner)

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)

 Day 7: Friday 07 February 2020        One Globe Forum, Delhi

Breakfast at Taj Mahal Hotel.

Transfer to the One Globe Forum at The Imperial Hotel
Forum sessions

Lunch: One Globe Forum at The Imperial
Forum sessions

Gala dinner at The Imperial
After the dinner, transfer back to your hotel.

Overnight: Taj Mahal Hotel (Deluxe room)

 Day 8: Saturday 08 February 2020         One Globe Forum, Delhi. Fly to Washington DC
Breakfast at Taj Mahal Hotel.

Transfer to the One Globe Forum at The Imperial Hotel
Forum sessions

Transfer to your hotel to freshen up. Rooms available until 6 pm.

Transfer to Delhi airport for flight to Washington DC.

                              Participants book and pay for their own airfare.
           All-inclusive Cost (includes hotel, all meals, in-country transportation, guides, fees).
$5000 – Single Person
$4000 – Per person for a couple of 2