Jimmy Carter, the former US President who passed away at the age of 100 on Sunday night, had a special bond with India. During a visit to a village in Haryana, the residents were so impressed that they renamed the village ‘Carterpuri’ in his honor.
On January 3, 1978, Mr. Carter and the then First Lady Rosalynn Carter visited Daulatpur Nasirabad, a village in Haryana. The visit was so impactful that the villagers decided to rename their village as ‘Carterpuri’ as a tribute to the President. They continued to maintain contact with the White House throughout Mr. Carter’s presidency.
Since then, January 3 has been celebrated as a holiday in ‘Carterpuri’. When Mr. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, the villagers organized grand celebrations to honor him.
During his visit to India, Mr. Carter also addressed parliament and emphasized the importance of democratic values in dealing with global challenges. He had a personal connection to India as well, as his mother had worked in the country as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps in the late 1960s.
Following the Carter administration, the US and India have collaborated on various fronts such as energy, humanitarian aid, technology, space cooperation, maritime security, disaster relief, and counterterrorism. The two countries signed a significant agreement in the mid-2000s for civil nuclear cooperation, leading to a substantial increase in bilateral trade, as noted by the Carter Center.
Jimmy Carter’s Passing
Jimmy Carter, the longest-living US President and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away at the age of 100. He had been under hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia since mid-February 2023, where he peacefully breathed his last, surrounded by his family.
His son, Chip, described him as a hero to all who believe in peace, human rights, and selfless love.
US President Joe Biden mourned Mr. Carter’s death and declared January 9 as a national day of remembrance.
“I urge the American people to gather in their places of worship on that day to honor the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr. I extend this invitation to people around the world who share our sorrow,” President Biden stated.
