<p>Ruchira Ghosh, chairperson of the National Crafts Museum, is clearly bowled over by Michelle Obama. “She came across as an highly intelligent person. There was enormous warmth in the manner in which she interacted with everyone. She spoke to the assembled school children in such a relaxed way, hugged them and held their hands. And, when these children asked her several questions she was absolutely at ease answering them.” <br /><br />According to Ghosh, Michelle was asked about her hobbies by one of the young girls, and she said, ‘My children’s hobbies are my hobbies. I totally enjoy what they like doing’. When she was asked about her daughters’ career plans, she said her older girl was still not too sure but the younger was keen on becoming a marine biologist.<br /><br />Michelle spent almost two-and-a-half hours at the National Crafts Museum while interacting with not just with crafts persons but also with school children and the staff of the museum. <br /><br />Michelle reportedly told Ghosh that she hardly ever got to shop and therefore, she didn’t pass up the opportunity to stock up on Christmas gifts. “The First Lady shopped so much that she ran out of money! She bought key rings for her younger daughter Sasha, who is said to love collecting them,” Ghosh said. <br /><br />Her shopping bags were full of Gujarati dolls, kantha work bedspreads, Kutchi mobile phone covers and Channapatna toys. <br /><br />Ghosh said she was impressed by the First Lady’s knowledge of ikat weaves. “She told me that her mother-in-law, who lived in Indonesia for a while, had a wonderful batik collection and wrote about Indonesian textiles,” Ghosh said.<br /><br />“When she went round the stalls, she was struck by this little Gujarati girl who making a doll. Michelle bought several dolls from the stall and she seemed fascinated by the leather puppets made by craftsmen from Andhra Pradesh,” said Ghosh.<br /><br />“She also bought a ‘Hanuman’ puppet and we tried to explain the significance of Hanuman in Hindu mythology, but she seemed to know the details. She told us, ‘I know about Hanuman because my sister-in-law, Barack’s sister, has lived in Indonesia. In fact, I have bought this Hanuman for her’. And when we were going around the special exhibition — Shakti, which focuses on the crafts of the women she was taken up by the statue of Durga. I explained to her the significance of Durga and Shakti, and the feminine divine power which came into force when demonic forces were terrorising the world. Hearing that she said, ‘Seeing the situation, it’s time for that feminine divine power to control evil’.”<br /><br />When the Obamas called on the President of India, Pratibha Patil, they appeared relaxed. <br /><br />Archana Datta, Officer on Special Duty (PR) to the President of India, said: “When President Barack Obama observed that there are so many powerful women in top roles in India, Michelle commented that in the US they (women) are still fighting for fair play.”<br /><br /><em>With inputs from Ajith Athrady</em></p>.<p>Rare warmth</p>.<p>Priya Dutt, Congress MP and daughter of the late Sunil and Nargis Dutt, was invited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the private dinner he hosted for the Obamas. “The Obamas were extremely warm and courteous. They came across as very humble. When I was introduced as a member of parliament, Obama said, ‘You are too young to be MP’. I told him, ‘No, I am not, I am greying’. He replied, ‘Not as much as me’,” she said. “Later, the PM’s wife Gursharan Kaur told the First Lady that my parents were well-known actors. Michelle said: ‘Why didn’t you take up acting?’ and added ‘Well, politics is also some kind of acting’. She was very friendly and no had no airs.”<br /><br /><em>B S Arun</em> </p>
<p>Ruchira Ghosh, chairperson of the National Crafts Museum, is clearly bowled over by Michelle Obama. “She came across as an highly intelligent person. There was enormous warmth in the manner in which she interacted with everyone. She spoke to the assembled school children in such a relaxed way, hugged them and held their hands. And, when these children asked her several questions she was absolutely at ease answering them.” <br /><br />According to Ghosh, Michelle was asked about her hobbies by one of the young girls, and she said, ‘My children’s hobbies are my hobbies. I totally enjoy what they like doing’. When she was asked about her daughters’ career plans, she said her older girl was still not too sure but the younger was keen on becoming a marine biologist.<br /><br />Michelle spent almost two-and-a-half hours at the National Crafts Museum while interacting with not just with crafts persons but also with school children and the staff of the museum. <br /><br />Michelle reportedly told Ghosh that she hardly ever got to shop and therefore, she didn’t pass up the opportunity to stock up on Christmas gifts. “The First Lady shopped so much that she ran out of money! She bought key rings for her younger daughter Sasha, who is said to love collecting them,” Ghosh said. <br /><br />Her shopping bags were full of Gujarati dolls, kantha work bedspreads, Kutchi mobile phone covers and Channapatna toys. <br /><br />Ghosh said she was impressed by the First Lady’s knowledge of ikat weaves. “She told me that her mother-in-law, who lived in Indonesia for a while, had a wonderful batik collection and wrote about Indonesian textiles,” Ghosh said.<br /><br />“When she went round the stalls, she was struck by this little Gujarati girl who making a doll. Michelle bought several dolls from the stall and she seemed fascinated by the leather puppets made by craftsmen from Andhra Pradesh,” said Ghosh.<br /><br />“She also bought a ‘Hanuman’ puppet and we tried to explain the significance of Hanuman in Hindu mythology, but she seemed to know the details. She told us, ‘I know about Hanuman because my sister-in-law, Barack’s sister, has lived in Indonesia. In fact, I have bought this Hanuman for her’. And when we were going around the special exhibition — Shakti, which focuses on the crafts of the women she was taken up by the statue of Durga. I explained to her the significance of Durga and Shakti, and the feminine divine power which came into force when demonic forces were terrorising the world. Hearing that she said, ‘Seeing the situation, it’s time for that feminine divine power to control evil’.”<br /><br />When the Obamas called on the President of India, Pratibha Patil, they appeared relaxed. <br /><br />Archana Datta, Officer on Special Duty (PR) to the President of India, said: “When President Barack Obama observed that there are so many powerful women in top roles in India, Michelle commented that in the US they (women) are still fighting for fair play.”<br /><br /><em>With inputs from Ajith Athrady</em></p>.<p>Rare warmth</p>.<p>Priya Dutt, Congress MP and daughter of the late Sunil and Nargis Dutt, was invited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the private dinner he hosted for the Obamas. “The Obamas were extremely warm and courteous. They came across as very humble. When I was introduced as a member of parliament, Obama said, ‘You are too young to be MP’. I told him, ‘No, I am not, I am greying’. He replied, ‘Not as much as me’,” she said. “Later, the PM’s wife Gursharan Kaur told the First Lady that my parents were well-known actors. Michelle said: ‘Why didn’t you take up acting?’ and added ‘Well, politics is also some kind of acting’. She was very friendly and no had no airs.”<br /><br /><em>B S Arun</em> </p>
