Mamata, Hillary bond over Tagore, Shah Rukh
8 May 2012 3:41 AM GMT
From the legendary Rabindranath Tagore to Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee discussed the state's 'brand ambassadors' then and now when they met here Monday.
Banerjee presented Clinton with Nobel laureate Tagore's books Gitanjali and Gitabitan. Clinton, who had said earlier that she had 'discovered Tagore in college and have been a fan ever since', reciprocated by presenting Banerjee a scarf with a famous Tagore song inscribed on it.
Briefing mediapersons about the nearly hour-long meeting with Clinton, Banerjee said she informed her about Tagore's birth anniversary Tuesday.
'She told me she was aware of it and would love to read Rabindranath. I told her that I will be giving her books of Tagore as gifts. I have given her copies of Gitanjali and Gitabitan.'
The chief minister also gave Clinton a kantha stitch scarf.
'She has also given me a small scarf which had a picture of Rabindranath and a line from his song Aguner Poroshmoni Choyao Prane. We are very happy.'
Banerjee said she told Clinton about Swami Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary and sought her cooperation to organise a World Youth Festival.
'We have decided to create a programme on the lines of Swamiji's famous address to a convention at Chicago. Madam Hillary told me she will talk to the mayor of Chicago. I have requested her to see if both of us [Bengal and US] can work together to commemorate Swamiji's birth anniversary.'
Banerjee and Clinton also spoke about Shah Rukh's popularity in the US.
'We also had a conversation over the entertainment industry. I proposed cooperation between Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood for bettering the lot of the entertainment industry. She liked the idea.'
When Banerjee said that Shah Rukh was the brand ambassador of Bengal, Clinton said the matinee idol was quite popular in the her country and had fan clubs in the US. 'She said movies of Shah Rukh are also quite popular,' Banerjee said.
CLINTON CHOOSES TAJ AGAIN
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's love affair with the Taj Hotels continued on her third official visit to India in the past 14 years.
In Kolkata 14 years ago as the US First lady, Clinton had chosen to stay at the Hotel Taj Bengal, an official from the Taj Group said here.
On her current visit to India, Clinton again opted for Hotel Taj Bengal.
With an entourage of nearly 100 personnel including the US media travelling with Clinton, the Hotel Taj Bengal had gone through a rigorous pre-arrival security drill.
She stayed in one of the two Presidential Suites which have separate living and dining rooms.
'A newly renovated Presidential Suite was selected for her which has seen many celebrities over the years. It was specially prepared for Clinton, keeping in mind her taste and requirements,' the official said.
K Mohan Chandran, the Hotel Taj Bengal general manager, described her stay as a 'truly memorable experience'.
On her last major trip as Secretary of State to India in July 2009, Clinton picked Hotel Taj Mahal Palace and Tower in Mumbai as a mark of respect to those who died there in the 2008 terror attack.
Banerjee presented Clinton with Nobel laureate Tagore's books Gitanjali and Gitabitan. Clinton, who had said earlier that she had 'discovered Tagore in college and have been a fan ever since', reciprocated by presenting Banerjee a scarf with a famous Tagore song inscribed on it.
Briefing mediapersons about the nearly hour-long meeting with Clinton, Banerjee said she informed her about Tagore's birth anniversary Tuesday.
'She told me she was aware of it and would love to read Rabindranath. I told her that I will be giving her books of Tagore as gifts. I have given her copies of Gitanjali and Gitabitan.'
The chief minister also gave Clinton a kantha stitch scarf.
'She has also given me a small scarf which had a picture of Rabindranath and a line from his song Aguner Poroshmoni Choyao Prane. We are very happy.'
Banerjee said she told Clinton about Swami Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary and sought her cooperation to organise a World Youth Festival.
'We have decided to create a programme on the lines of Swamiji's famous address to a convention at Chicago. Madam Hillary told me she will talk to the mayor of Chicago. I have requested her to see if both of us [Bengal and US] can work together to commemorate Swamiji's birth anniversary.'
Banerjee and Clinton also spoke about Shah Rukh's popularity in the US.
'We also had a conversation over the entertainment industry. I proposed cooperation between Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood for bettering the lot of the entertainment industry. She liked the idea.'
When Banerjee said that Shah Rukh was the brand ambassador of Bengal, Clinton said the matinee idol was quite popular in the her country and had fan clubs in the US. 'She said movies of Shah Rukh are also quite popular,' Banerjee said.
CLINTON CHOOSES TAJ AGAIN
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's love affair with the Taj Hotels continued on her third official visit to India in the past 14 years.
In Kolkata 14 years ago as the US First lady, Clinton had chosen to stay at the Hotel Taj Bengal, an official from the Taj Group said here.
On her current visit to India, Clinton again opted for Hotel Taj Bengal.
With an entourage of nearly 100 personnel including the US media travelling with Clinton, the Hotel Taj Bengal had gone through a rigorous pre-arrival security drill.
She stayed in one of the two Presidential Suites which have separate living and dining rooms.
'A newly renovated Presidential Suite was selected for her which has seen many celebrities over the years. It was specially prepared for Clinton, keeping in mind her taste and requirements,' the official said.
K Mohan Chandran, the Hotel Taj Bengal general manager, described her stay as a 'truly memorable experience'.
On her last major trip as Secretary of State to India in July 2009, Clinton picked Hotel Taj Mahal Palace and Tower in Mumbai as a mark of respect to those who died there in the 2008 terror attack.
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