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Holding banners and buntings that read ‘America Loves Modi,’ Indian-Americans gave a rousing welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrived in New York Sept. 23.
Amidst beating of drums and shouting of ‘Modi-Modi’ slogan, a few hundreds of community members gave the visiting Prime Minister a boisterous welcome as the Prime Minister’s entourage entered Waldorf Astoria Hotel straight from the JFK Airport.
The people had been patiently waiting on the barricaded sidewalks for long, much before he entered the hotel to have a glimpse of their leader. There were men and women, both young and old, even a few young children standing next to their parents. And the wait was worthwhile.
Modi in his characteristic style obliged them all. Like he did last year before entering the New York Palace Hotel during his maiden Prime Ministerial visit, he came out of his SUV to meet with his supporters briefly and waived at them as he walked a few meters to enter the hotel.
There were a small group of protesters from the Patidar/Patel community who wanted to protest against the government’s policy on reservation, but they were almost invisible tucked as they were in one corner of the sidewalk and their voices were virtually inaudible amid the congratulatory shouts and slogans for Modi.
Inside the hotel where Modi stayed for the rest of his New York sojourn, some 100 Indian-American community leaders had been waiting to meet and greet the Prime Minister.
Many of them were dressed in national attire; women wore in colorful saris or salwar kurtas, pacing up and down the hotel lobby excitedly waiting to be called on the fourth floor bilateral meeting room to be able to shake hands with the Prime Minister or to say Namaste to him and exchange a few words.
And they did get the chance, finally around 8:30 P.M.
Some 50 Indian-American community members went upstairs to meet and greet the prime minister, and to have their moments of glory photographed.
There were three groups – one consisting of people from the Gujarati community, members of the committee that organized Modi’s community reception last year in Madison Square Garden, and people who had come from places like Boston and Atlanta to grrt him.
“All of us got to meet with the honorable prime minister and exchange a few words, and he was gracious to meet and get photographed with each everybody,” said Dr. Sudhir Parikh, publisher of News India Times, and Padma Shri award winner.
“I briefly explained to him during a brief chat as to how publications like News India Times and Desi Talk were trying to promote better Indo-U.S. relationship under his leadership.
I think Mr. Modi liked the idea very much,” Parikh, who was with his wife Dr. Sudha Parikh, said.
Among those present at the meet and greet event included Ramesh Kapur from Boston and Krishna Srinivasan from Atlanta, both of them community veterans as well some members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
The post An Excited Community Welcomes Modi At Waldorf appeared first on News India Times.
