Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 29 (IANS) President Pratibha Devisingh Patil arrived in Kerala Monday evening on a three-day state visit.


She was received at the airport here by Governor R.S. Gavai, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other top officials.

Soon after her arrival on a special aircraft, she boarded a special helicopter for Kollam, where she would stay till Tuesday at the newly-opened seven-star hotel, ‘The Raviz’ owned by Keralite businessman Ravi Pillai, who has settled in the Middle-East.

From Kollam, she will go to Kottayam by helicopter to inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Kottayam Archdiocese at Kottayam and then return to witness the first-ever President's Trophy Boat Race to be held on the Ashtamudi Lake.

Patil will Wednesday morning return to the state capital to participate in a function of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) before returning to Delhi.