File photo of Pranab Mukherjee
President Pranab Mukherjee was today conferred an honourary doctorate by the prestigious Hebrew University, the third on his six-day trip to West Asia, reflecting the warm relations India enjoys with Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
Mr Mukherjee, the first Indian Head of State to visit Israel, received the honourary doctorate for his "steadfast commitment to higher education, contribution in strengthening Indian economy and his long-time advocacy of strong Indo-Israel ties".
In his acceptance speech, the President said that he "greatly valued this gesture of friendship" and that India attaches immense importance to its friendship and partnership with the people of Israel.
Mr Mukherjee also sought Israel's participation in the "Make in India" initiative, 'Digital India' programme and in building smart cities.
"Your ideas and innovations could go a long way in achieving the goals of these flagship programmes," Mr Mukherjee said.
Responding to the inquisitiveness of several leaders here who expressed admiration at India's ability to manage such a diverse population, the President said that "diversity is an integrating factor" and India has always believed in unity in diversity.
"India's strength lies in its capacity to blend contradictions into positive affirmations," he stressed.
"India is a country held together by strong invisible threads," Mr Mukherjee stressed.
A leader of the India Jewish community, who immigrated from India as a child, said that he is very happy to see Israeli leaders taking note of India's model of co-existence and also appreciating at forums like the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
"I have been trying to emphasise for decades that India is probably the only country in the world where there was no anti-semitism and we lived as equals," Noah Massil, the founder and former President of Central Organisation for Indian Jews in Israel, told PTI.
"The community here takes pride in this and it is one of the reasons they have kept their Indianness alive. I am happy to see that it is now getting recognised beyond a small section of the academia," Mr Noah said.