Obama feels he has `a personal` connection with India: Aide

Washington, Oct 28 (PTI) Coming from a not-so-privileged
African-American background, Barack Obama feels that he has
"some kind of a personal tie" with the extraordinary history
of India in the 20th century, even though he is yet to visit
the country, says a top personal aide of the US President.
"There is a particular connection for the President as an
African-American. As someone who comes from not a privileged
background, the Indian story speaks to that in a sense that
you have a country that inspired the world with its own
story," Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic
Communication, Ben Rhodes, said.
"Obviously India has its own civilisation and history,
but in the 20th century its ability to move past colonialism
in such an inspiring way ... reflects a model thriving, multi
cultural diverse democracy that is very close to the core of
the President's own story," Rhodes told Washington-based
Indian reporters at a special White House briefing on Obama's
India trip scheduled for next week.
While planning for his maiden trip to India, Obama
directed his White House staff to schedule events that would
reflect the breadth of American ties with India. And therefore
there are events that have economic, political and security
components; besides the cultural component.
"It is also very important for the President that we
have events where he is capable of speaking to younger people.
One of the things that he admires about countries like India
is just how vast the young population is, the number of people
below 30 and the potential is there within that.
"So having a town hall event with young people is kind of
a signature events that the President likes to do if he has
an opportunity," said Rhodes, who played a key role in
finalising Obama's trip to India and closely interacted with
him on a regular basis. (More) PTI