Speaker gets Greek Parliament's gold medal

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was on Tuesday awarded the gold medal of the Hellenic Parliament in Athens.

Conferring the award on the occassion of "celebration of 150th year of constitutional life" as a token of esteem and recognition of friendship, Anna Benaki, president of the Hellenic Parliament, said both countries have a long tradition of democracy and care for human rights.

"There is close co-operation between the two countries and such exchanges would further enhance mutual co-operation," she said.

Chatterjee said he was accepting the award on behalf of the Parliament of India, "from the mother of democracy to the largest democracy."

He thanked Greece for extending co-operation to India in international fora. Members of the Indian delegation and members of Parliament belonging to Indo-Greece friendship group from Greek Parliament were present on the occassion.