Houston , Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal arrived in Houston on Sunday to represent India at the G20 Energy Ministers’ meeting, being held at a time when crude supplies across the world are under considerable strain due to wars in Iran and Ukraine.
India’s Consul General in Houston, C Manjunath, received the minister at the airport. Addressing a diverse cross-section of professionals, entrepreneurs, students and cultural leaders including representatives from regional associations such as HARIT , ICC, IACCGH and SEWA Minister Manohar Lal praised the community for preserving its strong cultural connection with India while contributing significantly to the social and economic fabric of the United States. Consul General Manjunath delivered the formal welcome address, highlighting the minister’s decade-long record of public governance and citizen-centric leadership in India.
On the eve of the ministerial summit, the Indian diaspora organised a public reception in honour of the minister at India House on Sunday evening.
Highlighting the richness, inclusivity and global reach of Hindi, the minister urged Indian-Americans to actively preserve and promote their native linguistic heritage abroad to keep future generations anchored to their roots. As part of his official itinerary on the sidelines of the summit, the minister also visited NASA’s Johnson Space Centre. Space Centre Houston President and CEO William T Harris personally guided the delegation through the facility, followed by talks on expanding bilateral strategic cooperation in the space sector and space-based technologies.
At the Consulate premises, the minister launched CGI Houston’s participation in the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign by planting a tree sapling under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” movement, urging the diaspora to incorporate environmental responsibility into daily life under the theme “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat.”
