At Banquet, Obama Talks of 'Dosti' and 'Modi Kurta'

New Delhi: President Barack Obama toasted the "dosti" between the US and India at a banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan and said he had "wanted to wear a Modi kurta" on Sunday night.

Dressed in a dark suit and tie, President Obama also said, "I want to thank you for not making me dance today," recalling his first visit to India in 2010 when his wife Michelle and he had joined some children in a dance in Mumbai.

"It was clear what the Indian press thought and one headline was President Obama visits India and the other said Michelle Obama rocks India. It is true that Michelle Obama is better dancer than me," POTUS said. 

Michelle, who has again accompanied him on his three-day visit to India, wore a dress in bright floral print for the banquet.

President Obama said his wife and he were looking forward to the international yoga day adopted at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also praised the PM's "legendary work ethic" noting "he told me today how he did ok with three hours of sleep."

He also appreciated the PM, saying he is tough and has a style.

"I most often said that my story could happen in America and of course Mr Prime Minister, your story can happen only in India," said Mr Obama.

Recalling PM Modi's childhood days, when his father was a tea vendor and his mother was working in other households, President Obama said, "Tonight their son welcomes us as the Prime Minister of world's largest democracy.

"Now we all know about the Prime Minister's legendary work ethics. He (Modi) was explaining to me today that how he got only three hours sleep today which made me feel bad. I was doing ok with five. What I didn't know that he survived an attack by a crocodile. So he is tough and he also has style," said the President.

PM Modi in a grey 'bandhgala', his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were among about 250 people invited for the dinner hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee for the Obamas, perhaps the biggest ever banquet at the presidential palace.
President Mukherjee said in his address, "Your presence at the Rashtrapti Bhavan demonstrates growing ties of friendship and trust that bind us closely."

The menu had on it the best of Indian cuisine, including a kabab platter that features Galauti Kebab, Soufiyans fish tikka and chicken malai tikka and for vegetarians, dahi kabab, tandoori mushroom and hariyali kabab.

There was a broccoli and walnut soup and mustard fish curry, a roast leg of mutton, mutton rogan josh, chicken korma, Kashmiri delicacy Gushtaba, dal raisina, aachari paneer, bedmi aloo, kadhi pakora, chhole, papad, pulao, tandoori roti and naan.

There was malpua and rabdi and a date steamed pudding for dessert.

On Sunday, President Obama will the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations.