'Cheerful' PM's first official engagement after surgery

Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday had his first official engagement since his bypass surgery five weeks ago and appeared fine as he held about 90-minute talks with Boni Yayi, president of African country Benin.

Dressed in grey 'bandgala' suit, 76-year-old Singh walked up to the meeting room at his residence here for talks with Yayi and shook hands with the visiting leader. In his first public appearance after surgery, Singh waved at the camerapersons.

He was cheerful and held about 90-minute long delegation-level discussions with the Benin president, sources said. Immediately after that, he oversaw the signing of three
agreements between the two sides. The prime minister has been attending to urgent
official work from home but the talks with president of Benin marked his first official engagement since surgery.

He has been recuperating after undergoing a 'redo' coronary artery bypass surgery to remove five blockages at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on January 24.