KOCHI: US president Donald Trump's son-in-law Michael Boulos arrived in Kochi on a private visit on Saturday morning. He was accompanied by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who later met Kerala chief minister V D Satheesan and held talks on areas of mutual interest.
Boulos, who arrived at Kochi International Airport went to Alappuzha where he went on a house boat cruise. As he expressed interest to watch the snake boat trials, he was taken to Punnamada where he watched the trails for Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race, which is scheduled to be held on August 22.
Michael Boulos is a close friend of Ambassador Sergio Gor and this is his second visit to India to meet his friend. Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Minister (CMO) said the discussion with the US Ambassador was focused on areas of mutual interest, particularly higher education, tourism, culture, investment and maritime development.
Satheesan highlighted the scope for closer partnerships between universities and research institutions in Kerala and the United States to facilitate joint research, academic exchanges and innovation initiatives.
The Ambassador, said it is his first visit to Kerala and he was impressed by the state's natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and potential as an international tourism destination. There is scope for attracting more visitors from the United States, by leveraging Kerala's strengths in wellness and Ayurveda tourism.
Explaining Kerala's potential as a destination for international investment, V D Satheesan said there is immense scope for sectors like ports, logistics and port-led development . The two sides also discussed opportunities in maritime logistics, shipbuilding and ship repair, green bunkering and allied industries linked to Vizhinjam International Seaport and Kochi Port.
The Ambassador expressed interest in facilitating greater engagement between American companies and Kerala and connecting more US businesses with investment opportunities in the state.
The meeting also considered ways to deepen engagement with the Malayalee community and business networks in the United States. Satheesan proposed setting up an Invest Desk in the US to facilitate investment enquiries, connect prospective investors and companies with opportunities in Kerala, and strengthen ties with the Malayalee diaspora and the wider US business community.