U.S. President celebrates Diwali, dances to Koli song

MUMBAI: The students of Holy Name High School in Colaba remained star struck well after the Obamas had left. U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle were unlike any political heads they had ever seen or imagined. They danced to a folk song in Marathi and shook hands and spoke to most of the students present on a Sunday morning and paid minute attention to the science exhibition they had taken a week to put up.

While students of the fourth to seventh standard danced the traditional Koli fisherfolk community's dance “Mee Hai Koli,” Michelle joined in readily and showed she could move gracefully and in tune with her younger performers. Mr. Obama made a fuss that he was not asked to dance and the older boys from the 10th standard dragged him on to the floor. He asked if he would have to remove his shoes. Clad in a white shirt with rolled up sleeves and tie, he too plunged in with gusto.

The President and his wife arrived at the school around 9.30 a.m. After going through the science exhibition, Mr. Obama said he was happy that youngsters were now more aware about the environment than his generation. His own children too were like that, he said. The students had put up an exhibition on green energy and set up models of windmills, rainwater harvesting and green villages.

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