Sholay’s Yeh Dosti to regale Obamas at banquet tonight
The Shillong Chamber Choir will serenade Barack and Michelle Obama with the Sholay classic hit Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Torenge at a cultural performance at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s glittering Durbar Hall on Monday evening ahead of President Pratibha Patil’s state banquet, which will be outdoors in the Mughal Gardens.
The Sholay number will be followed by a popular 19th century hymn To God be the glory, followed by an Afro-American hymn Deep River — the last two were chosen as it was felt the Obamas could identify with these personally.
Folk musicians from Rajasthan, Indian classical artistes on the sitar, violin, flute and tabla will follow. The banquet will also be preceded by a short dance show by Kathak, Bharatanatyam and Odissi exponents. Given that Diwali is just over, a visual extravaganza of pyrotechnics is also planned.
The US President will be ceremonially welcomed by the Indian leadership at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 9.45 on Monday morning, after which he and Michelle will go to Rajghat to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi. Mr Obama then will head for Hyderabad House for formal talks with the Prime Minister at 10.45 am, as well the delegation-level talks between the two countries, to be followed by a joint press conference at 12.45 pm.
Michelle Obama, meanwhile, is expected to visit the Crafts Museum and some other places at this point. The Obamas are due to go back to their hotel, ITC Maurya, and the two are likely to have lunch at its famed Bukhara restaurant. The President will spend the afternoon in one-on-one meetings with senior Indian leaders, including vice-president Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, at the hotel.
He will then leave for Parliament House, where he is due to address a joint session at 5.25 pm, after which he will head for the state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Obamas will leave New Delhi for Indonesia on Tuesday morning.
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