NRI
Chatwal accompany Clinton for his fourth visit to
India
New Delhi, May 26, 2005
TNN, ET
It was the beginning of a three-day tour of Clinton
on his record fourth visit to India. This time, he
is here as an UN special envoy to assess the relief
work in tsunami-affected areas and also to help raise
funds for them.
The former president, wearing a blue jeans and light
blue polo T-shirt, looked visibly leaner and older
post his by-pass surgery, but the charm is still intact.
He smiled, waved, and mingled with the small motley
crowd of excited foreign tourists, executives, journalists
trying to pose as hotel guests, and hotel staff.
Among them, Manzoor Wangnoo, one of the owners of
National Cottage Emporium, and makers of Oriental
rugs and designer shawls, said, “Senator Hillary
Clinton visited India this February and we spent hours
talking about carpet making. They’ve been shopping
with us for years now. This time I have a surprise
for him.”
The former president had a packed schedule, starting
with a one-to-one with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Subsequently, he met some Indian parliamentarians,
followed by a meeting with Union HRD minister Arjun
Singh and Union health minister Anbu Mani Ramadoss.
And towards the end of the day, he attended a cocktail
party hosted by the Clinton Foundation for Indian
AIDS Partners. Clinton is again staying at his preferred
destination — Room No 1641 in the The Maurya
Sheraton.
Incidentally, the suite was renamed as The President
Suite after his first check-in some years ago. Giving
him company on the same floor will be another President,
the Botswanian leader Festus Mogae. This time his
room has been decorated with lots of embroidery in
a background of mustard and maroon.
Also awaiting him will be table number 64, in his
favourite restaurant Bukhara, which he is expected
to visit tomorrow.
Also accompanying the ex-president are his NRI friends,
Sant Singh Chatwal, and Vikram Chatwal, the renowned
hoteliers. The Chatwals will also be accompanying
Clinton to Chennai, and Nagapattinum — the worst-affected
district by tsunami.
“He has a special passion for India, after all
he was the first US President to visit India, after
Carter,” Chatwal told ET.
