Michelle gives ‘warm’ reception to Punjab girls

When 12-year-old Ramanpreet Kaur, a Class 6 student in Amritsar, Punjab, was told that she will meet US first lady Michelle Obama in Delhi, all she could feel excited about was her first train journey.

When 12-year-old Ramanpreet Kaur, a Class 6 student in Amritsar, Punjab, was told that she will meet US first lady Michelle Obama in Delhi, all she could feel excited about was her first train journey.

HT Image

“I didn’t know, before being told about this meeting, who Michelle Obama is. When my principal told me we will go to Delhi to meet her, I was more excited about my first trip to Delhi,” the daughter of a labourer said.

After meeting Michelle on Tuesday morning at the National Crafts Museum, all Ramanpreet could rave about was the ‘friendly’, ‘polite’ and ‘warm’ reception she received. Seventeen girls met Obama at the museum located in Pragati Maidan.

The US embassy had invited girl volunteers from 4 NGOs, including Nanhi Chhaan. Michelle had expressed her wish to interact with young girls to spread awareness among people regarding social issues.

Ramanpreet’s classmate, 13-year-old Manpreet Kaur, had penned down a short letter in Gurmukhi for Michelle.

In her letter, she expressed disappointment over the fact that the Obamas couldn't come to Amritsar and see the Golden Temple, as planned initially. “She said she will come to Amritsar on her next visit and will come to see the temple with us,” she added.

Apreet Buttar, 11, and Ankita Dhukia, 11, both Class 6 students of Guru Harkrishan Public School in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, cannot wait to get back home.

All four girls were holding tightly to a black bag with ‘The White House Washington’ written on it. “The bag has puzzles, pencil colours, markers and a pack of candies signed by the US president. My brother was so jealous when I was leaving for Delhi, and now I’ll tease him a bit more,” Dhukia said. “We were initially nervous about the interaction, but she put us at ease almost instantly,” Buttar said. The first lady also impressed the teachers. “We were standing at a distance, but she came up to us and hugged each one of us. What a wonderful lady!” a teacher said.