A beautiful silver glass bearing Obama’s signature with a greeting card extending warm regards came as a pleasant surprise for the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader.
Public Works Department minister Chhagan Bhujbal received a gift from Barrack Obama, president of the United States, on Monday.
The US embassy in India handed over the White House gift to Bhujbal at his official residence Ramtek at Malabar Hills.
A beautiful silver glass bearing Obama’s signature with a greeting card extending warm regards came as a pleasant surprise for the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader.
“It was a pleasant surprise to see a return gift from the US president. I am deeply touched,” said the minister. Bhujbal returned to Mumbai at the end of the three-week winter session in Nagpur, all set to get back to his Mantralaya duties.
However, he received a call from the US embassy requesting for his appointment.
Bhujbal had gifted a book titled Slavery, written by social reformer Jyotiba Phule, to Obama on his visit to the city.
During his brief interaction with the American president, Bhujbal informed that the author had written the book against slavery way back in 1873.
He also informed Obama that Phule had dedicated the book to the people in America whose self-sacrifice and support to the movement against slavery promised reforms.
Recalling Obama’s visit Bhujbal said, “Obama gave a patient hearing and expressed surprise about an Indian author paying tribute to the Americans almost 137 years ago. I am confident that the US president would definitely glance through the book as he had shown a great interest in the subject. I had seen it in his eyes during our brief interaction.”
A senior officer in his department said, “When I heard about the return gift, I was very excited. Who would think that after leaving the Indian shores the US officials accompanying the Obamas would meticulously keep a record of individuals who greeted him with mementos? It is a wonderful gesture.”
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