Former US president Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100 on December 29, but he has left a lasting legacy that extends beyond his presidency. He left one such imprint on a Haryana village, which is now known as Carterpuri.
Carter visited India in 1978, becoming the first US president to travel to India after the Emergency era. His trip came on the heels of Janata Party forming government in 1977.
#WATCH | Former US President Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States, passes away at the age of 100
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2024
Archive visuals of 'Carterpuri,' a village in Haryana which was renamed in honour of former US President Jimmy Carter following his visit to India in… pic.twitter.com/MpV6X9IiXc
During the same visit, Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter came to the village of Daulatpur Nasirabad in Haryana on January 3, 1978.
The visit prompted the village residents to rename it a Carterpuri, keeping in touch with the White House for the remainder of Carter's presidential term.
#WATCH | Former US President Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States, passes away at the age of 100.
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2024
Archive visuals of Former US President Jimmy Carter meeting Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2006, during his visit to India.
(Source: ANI… pic.twitter.com/7Xod31rpIK
According to the Carter Centre, January 3 remains a holiday in Carterpuri. The village also celebrated Carter's Nobel Prize win in 2002.
Another Indian connection of Jimmy Carter was his mother Lillian Carter's stint as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps during the 1960s.
Carter's presidency improved the ties between India and the US, which were marred by his predecessor, Richard Nixon's tilt towards Pakistan during the 1971 war.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, saying he was "deeply saddened" by the death of Carter. Describing him as a statesman of great vision, Modi said Carter worked tirelessly for global peace and harmony, adding that his contributions left a lasting legacy in the "strong India-US ties". "My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the people of the US," the PM added.
