White House memories: Manmohan charmed by Michelle
By Manish Chand, IANSMonday, November 30, 2009
ABOARD AIR INDIA ONE - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says he was charmed by US First Lady Michelle Obama and the conversation he had with her on the same table at the White House dinner last week were among the memorable parts of his trip to the US last week.
I shared the table with Michelle Obama. And the conversation I had with her was one of the most memorable part of the evening, Manmohan Singh told IANS when asked what was the most cherished moment of his four-day US visit that ended Thursday.
He was speaking while returning from Trinidad and Tobago, where he had gone to attend the Commonwealth summit, Sunday night.
Earlier in Port-if-Spain Manmohan Singh had described the White House dinner as magnificent and a unique experience to remember. The much written about state dinner- described by the New York Times as a “glittering gala with distinctive touches” - hosted at an elegantly designed white tent erected on the South Lawn of the White House was attended by top Obama aides, powerful senators, Hollywood moguls, billionaire tycoons and successful Indian-Americans.
Manmohan Singh and his daughters Amrit Singh and Upinder Singh sat with Michelle Obama at the state dinner last Tuesday.
Dressed in a glittering champagne-coloured gown designed by Indian-born, US-based designer Naeem Khan, Michelle Obama was the talk of the town. Ahead of the dinner, in a conversation with school children at the White House, Michelle Obama showered praise on India and asked the students to imagine a day when they will be studying in Mumbai or New Delhi or Bangalore to deepen ties between the world’s greatest democracies.
The prime minister has great admiration for President Obama and Michelle. They were very warm and hospitable throughout the trip. The conversation at the table was great, according to senior Indian officials who were among the privileged few who attended the first state dinner of the Obama presidency.
Manmohan Singh’s spouse Gursharan Kaur shared the table with US President Barack Obama, former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi.
