US Ambassador Sergio Gor takes boat ride on Manipur's Loktak Lake

Imphal, Sep 12
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who is on a two-day visit to Manipur, on Saturday took a boat ride on Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast region, in Bishnupur district, officials said.

Accompanied by US Consul General in Kolkata Kathy Giles-Diaz and other officials, Gor reached Imphal on Friday.

The Loktak Lake, which is 48 km from Imphal city, is a beautiful stretch of water resembling a miniature inland sea. Fishermen living in floating islands called Phumdis in floating huts known as Phumsangs are a unique sight in this lake.

The US Ambassador on Friday, during his meeting with Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on the development of Northeast India was a positive step for a diverse country like India.

Gor also called on Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Lok Bhavan.

During his meeting with CM Khemchand Singh at the CM Secretariat in Mantripukhri, the US Ambassador described Manipur as a “stunning place” with remarkable natural beauty and enquired about the number of tourists visiting the state, a senior official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

Gor also said there was a special bond between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, beyond the normal relationship between a Prime Minister and a President, adding that Trump personally cherished the relationship.

Khemchand Singh invited the US Ambassador to the upcoming Manipur Sangai Festival 2026 and highlighted tourism and other allied sectors as potential areas for development in the state. He said India was a “mini world” and Manipur a “mini India”, noting that the state was home to 36 communities.

The ten-day Manipur Sangai Festival will be held from November 21 to 30 with the theme “Destination Manipur”. The festival will showcase and promote the state's art and culture, handloom, handicrafts and fine arts, indigenous sports, cuisine and music, besides eco-tourism and adventure sports.