'The queen of America had come' and Laura Bush debuts on Indian telly: PICTURES

The Rediff Special/ Archana Masih in New Delhi

'The queen of America had come'

March 02, 2006

It was just by five minutes, but when powerful dignitaries arrive before time, it does leave a mark.

So when the American First Lady arrived in her gleaming limousine at Prayas, the home for abused children in Tughlaqabad in Delhi, she had made the perfect entry.

Prayas had seen other important guests before -- like the princess of Bhutan, former American deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage, Bollywood actors Manisha Koirala and Jackie Shroff -- but never had someone of the stature of Laura Bush come calling.

Obviously, Seema, Arti and Shilpa, who had to welcome her with bouquets, were nervous. They had stood in position for over an hour to make sure everything went as rehearsed.

Arti, 18, a mute girl, explained in sign language that they had prepared for seven days for the big day and would have liked to see Mrs Bush stay longer with them.

Seema, the oldest of the three, an alumnus of Prayas, had travelled from a shelter home in Kolkata for the event.

"She was so cute, spoke so gently and was so well dressed. In India when in the name of fashion girls wear such short clothes, I think she kept in mind the Indian sensitivity and had worn clothes that covered both her arms and legs," Seema said.

Shilpa, aqll of eight years old, the youngest and most shy, pulled the gift from her lap that the First Lady gave her – a visiting card which said 'Laura Bush' and a light blue diary on which was embossed 'The Seal of the President of the United States.'

Another group of children had practiced for a dance performance for Laura Bush. Decked in traditional finery in tune with a

Rajasthani theme, the kids performed a folk dance soon after the bouquets were given to Mrs Bush.

"She loved our dance, said thank you to us and we said welcome," said a little girl through her rather large nath (traditional nose ring extending from the nose to the ears). "You know who she was?" another sprightly girl questioned precociously. "America ki rani aayi thi (the queen of America had come)!"

Laura Bush was accompanied by Jeannie Mulford, wife of American Ambassador to India David Mulford. Security, naturally, had been strict. US security personnel had been going in out of the shelter for weeks and the staff and children had been asked to be present by 7.30 am, almost four hours in advance.

The names of all children along with details like father's name, home address, date of birth, colour of skin had been sent to the US embassy and identity cards had been issued to all children by Prayas. The staff were given security clearance by the Delhi police and had to wear IDs bearing their names, blood group, date of joining and addresses.

After the traditional welcome, Laura Bush saw the various vocational training courses run by the shelter and then went on to the most important part of her morning programme – a roundtable with Sartaj, 12, Karishma, 12, Komal, 14 and Tabassum, 16.

'"Good Morning, I'm Laura Bush,' this is how she introduced herself," said Tabassum. "She said she liked talking with children and had been a librarian."

The girls asked her few questions and her answers were translated to them in Hindi. "We asked her if there was discrimination between boys and girls in America like it was in India. She said there was but there were fewer cases."

"We asked her whether poor children found it difficult to go to school like it was in India and she said that sometimes teachers went to childrens' home to teach or kids went to special centres to study," Tabassum said.

After some coaxing, a quiet Kashmira said: "We asked if children in America became independent at the age of 15. She told us that it did happen but if the kids were not independent by then, their parents looked after them till they became 18."

One child who had suffered abuse wanted to know if children suffered rape and abuse in America.

The First Lady admitted there were problems of trafficking, child neglect and abuse. Most of such exploited children received foster care support.

"We liked her very much. She looked so pretty, her makeup was perfect and she wore such nice clothes," said Komal.

The First Lady gave the children diaries, White House mementoes, soft toys and sweets. While Prayas gave Mrs Bush a candlestand and a Madubani painting.

After spending an hour and eight minutes at Prayas, Laura Bush signed the visitors book and wrote: 'With thanks for your devotion to children and with much love. Laura Bush'

When the girls had woken up at 6 am they had been nervous but by noon they were a confident and delighted bunch. They wanted to share their experience with everyone who asked them about it and wanted their pictures shot. They danced to dhols long after Laura Bush had left and got an American to join them too.

Her husband may be the most powerful man on earth. He may have signed a landmark nuclear deal with India. But here at Prayas the star was a former librarian named Laura Bush.

Laura debuts on Indian telly

Vaihayasi P Daniel in New Delhi | March 02, 2006 16:21 IST
Last Updated: March 02, 2006 18:17 IST

She was very friendly. Great fun. It was just like the visit of a friend," says Niret Alva, president and executive producer, Miditech Pvt Ltd, of his meeting with US First Lady Laura Bush on the sets of the Indian version of Sesame Street, Galli Galli Sim Sim in New Delhi on Thursday.

US First lady Laura Bush, (C), stand with Nafisa Ali, chairperson of the Children's Film Society of India as they meet the cast of the Indian version of the children's TV show Sesame Street, called "Galli Galli Sim Sim", at their film studio on the outskirts of New Delhi. After the American first couple's visit to Rajghat, the American President set out for Hyderabad House for his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Laura Bush struck it out on her own and headed across Delhi to Noida to tape a segment of Galli Galli Sim Sim, which is being produced by Miditech in conjunction with Turner Cartoon Network.

In the segment, which was filmed on Thursday, the children are told to welcome a special guest who is Laura Bush.

She spent an hour on the elaborate and very colourful Indian sets of the popular American television show for children, meeting four of the main characters (Chamki, Bhoombah, Achoo, Googli), the children participating on the show as well as the technical crew and doing the shoot.

Says Alva, "Laura Bush and (Children's Film Socierty Chairman) Nafisa Ali taught the kids to count from one to five on this segment. The episode was in Hindi but Laura Bush, of course, spoke in English. She talks very well because she has a background in education."

The visit came about because of Laura Bush's involvement with the Sesame Workshop in the US. "And then she had a very good experience on the Egyptian sets of Sesame Street (in Cairo on her visit to Egypt in 2005). When they knew Mrs Bush was going to be here the Sesame Workshop invited her on the Indian sets. And she was very happy to come to our sets. There was huge attention to details in the organisation of her visit. And fantastic security arrangements," says Alva.

Galli Galli Sim Sim focuses on a typical Indian street scene with the four Indian-style Muppets. According to Alva, Laura Bush was very enthusiastic in her participation in the market scene and enjoyed that part immensely.

She was accompanied by her personal staff, Jeannie Mulford, the wife of US Ambassador David Mulford, and White House photographers for the visit which began a little after 10 in the morning.

The encounter began on a formal note with everyone wishing her namaste and she doing the same, describes Alva, but quickly became informal and friendly.

Says a Miditech manager,"It was a very structured visit and the Secret Service men had come to plan the visit. It was two minutes for the introduction and four minutes for make up etc. We were very aware that she was the First Lady, but she was very cool, very unhurried. Her manner was very soothing, very free. She was smiling always. And she did her segment in just two takes and took photographs."

Laura Bush distributed gifts to the folks on the sets -- badges signed by her husband, White House pens, paperweights. "It was very touching," says the Midtech manager.

Photograph: David Guttenfelder/AFP/Getty Images

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