President Pratibha Patil meets Gordon Brown - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

President Pratibha Patil on Thursday met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and discussed bilateral, regional and international issues, including the current situation in Pakistan. The meeting was held at Brown's official residence at 10 Downing Street . President Patil was accompanied by the Indian High Commissioner to UK Nalin Surie, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Joint Secretary Rajendra Prasad and Minister of State for Higher Education D Purandeswari. Queen Elizabeth, as the head of Commonwealth, will present to President Patil the baton, indicating the launch of the Commonwealth Games, at a ceremony at the Buckingham Palace today. On Wednesday, President Patil was given Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia in a ceremony held at India House (Indian High Commission) by two Indian-origin industrialists Ghulam Noon and Nathu Ram Puri. President Patil will be in London till October 29. This is also the first State visit to UK after the Strategic Partnership firmed up between the two countries in 2004.