In a historic first , this is first time any Prime Minister of India thanked and saluted NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for replacing India’s snake-charmer image with a High-tech savvy image, in turn it brought enormous respect for India in Global Stage, which only due to IT Professionals excellence worldwide. Prime Minister’s thanks to NRI population touched everyones heart. We all NRI professionals were spell-bound to see a dynamic go-getter Prime Minister whose mind, every thoughts perfectly synced up, blended with us , the sons and daughters of India who live in foreign land but heart lives in India.

A country’s leadership,  which is used to the century old practice of British systems like depending for everything on bureaucrats like ICS (Indian Civil Service in British Days) and IAS officials on every move, policies of country  - now looks like those days are over . Modi means strictly business , work and work only, truly a follower Swami Vivekananda's  principle “arise,awake,stop not until your goal is achieved”, not only that in Madison Square Garden I was proud to see a big display of Swami Vivekananda and  a thrilling experience of singing India’s National Anthem with 19000 strong crowd and Prime Minister. 

In this context, unfortunately, underdeveloped, failed states like Bengal didn't learn any lessons from Swami Vivekananda but successful Gujrat learnt , also  for people in Bengal and Tripura , leaders picked ideological gurus from China and Russia bur Modi picked his ideological guru from Bengal. 

People love Modi for his dynamic style of functioning, leadership, not because Modi belongs to a certain political party. Every NRI came through lot of hardships, obstacles in life to reach their successful position today , so its natural that dynamic NRIs will fall in love in first sight with the only dynamic Prime Minister of their lifetime Sri Narendra Modi.

Past 5 days of my life in New York certainly filled with most memorable moments  which I won’t be able to pen down in words,  being a part of Indian American Community Organizing Committee of welcoming Prime Minister  at Madison Square Garden, or  staying  in same Palace Hotel  3 floors below Prime Minister’s room, or meeting and dancing with Hollywood celebrities and top leaders of world in Central Park Global Citizen Festival . Also an opportunity to meet the galaxy of world media journalists, NRIs, Industrialists in such a short period of time.

Picture : PM Modi speech at Madison Square Garden 

Picture: NY Palace Hotel where PM and us were staying, I am with News Editor of All India Radio, New Delhi,  Mohd Naseem, An eminent journalist travelling with Prime Minister

Palace Hotel, New York , Sept 27,28,29

Palace Hotel in NY is not only housing Prime Minister Modi, but another  20 countries Prime Ministers, Presidents  from Israel ,Britain, Egypt to  Denmark, who all are attending UN general assembly at New York.  Apart from these countries premiers, their tops officials, Diplomats, Foreign Ministers, special security folks, top journalists etc.  In brief , from morning to evening inside the hotel , one can see all top people of the world walking, greeting, sign of a festive atmosphere, but under this outer  layer of festiveness, a  highly controlled different layers of security by  many countries top security agencies like CIA, FBI, Secret Service, MI5,  Israel’s Mossad etc.  President Obama was staying one block away in Waldorf Astoria Hotel and many times these leaders, Foreign Ministers, Diplomats were walking on the street to visit other high security VIP Hotels.  Our Palace Hotel’s every corner, entrance, exit, every elevator, every floor were controlled by American Secret Service agents, who are responsible for Presidential Security in USA .Not only that outer perimeter of Hotel to Streets, - all blocked by NYPD (New York Police Dept),  US Marshall’s Service, FBI etc.  Other than authorized vehicles and people, no one can come even  near to Hotel. Once NYPD screening is over on the street, one can come near to hotel , where FBI and US Secret Service Agents will scan body, check all luggage, X-ray scanner, then final round of screening by ferocious looking Special Dogs. 

Once inside hotel , then from lobby to elevator to our rooms ,all the way I have seen more Secret Service people than VIPs.  India’s PM’s security in New York was handled by US Secret Service very efficiently, and the outer ring of PM’s  Security  was NYPD, FBI and few accompanying SPG folks.  In USA , VIP security involving Prime Minister, Presidents are always handled by Diplomatic Security wing of  American Secret Service,in co-ordination  with CIA , FBI and local law enforcement agencies like NYPD.  If you saw in television,  PM Modi’s programs in New York, he was always circled 360 degree  by  10 to 12 US Secret Service Agents. In  Madison Square Garden event  or in other places, you will not see a single face of  Indian SPG around him, well …that’s the protocol in USA.  In addition to that, photograpghy in Palace hotel was highly restricted  and no photograpghy of VIPs  inside hotel unless it’s a press conference.  Many times I was in elevator with many countries foreign ministers, US senators, also I met Indian Ambassador Dr Jaishankar and his wife on Sunday morning at  breakfast as they were sitting closeby one table away from me. Few times our PM went in and out from hotel  room, exchanged smiles but no one could go near to him due to US secret service circle. Such tight was US secret service security that  even his close friend Dr Barai couldn’t come to stage at Madison Square Garden,  Dr Barai is President of ICAF (Indian American Community Foundation) and Chief Organizer of Madison Square Garden event.  I will write more in my next column on interaction with Foreign and Indian delegations, US Secret Service, Mossad agents  and many funny sides of Palace Hotel stories.

Picture : Media room at Palace Hotel for visiting journalists with Prime Minister Modi

Picture : I am with Indian and American Press at  Prime Minister's Media room in Palace Hotel

Picture : View of Waldorf Astoria Hotel (President Obama Staying)  from my room in 48th Floor in Palace Hotel. PM Modi was staying at 52nd Floor of Palace Hotel

Picture : I am at my 48th Floor room at Palace Hotel

Picture : First Hindu Congresswoman in USA  Tulasi Gabbard is being interviewed by Indian Media

Madison Square Garden, Indian Community reception on Sunday,  Sept 28

Picture : Selfie... I am inside Madison Square Garden working with IACF team making arrangements to welcome PM Modi

As I was in organizing committee of this IACF event ,so rather than enjoying it fully , most of my time went in running around inside Madison Square Garden. ToI’s NY based journalist  Chidanand Rajghatta’s words “India came of age in the United States with an epic show of political, social and economic clout, and cohesion on a raucous Sunday afternoon at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. In a chest-swelling, heart-stirring show of bipartisan strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and overseas Indians indulged in a mutual love-fest that sharply etched the country's growing power and profile in the minds of Americans, represented at the unprecedented Indian political rally by more than two dozen US lawmakers and governors.”  It was a great pleasure of meeting India’s all top journalists in Press Room at Palace Hotel. Later, I will write a detail column on Madison Square Garden event, organizing it, backgrounds etc.

Picture : Prime Minister Modi at Global Citizen Festival, Central Park (wearing blue jacket)

Picture : I am at Global Citizen Festival, Central park

Picture : US Secret Service Agents (in coat with sunglass), FBI , Special Forces (T-Shirt) surrounded us in Global Citizen Festival, front of me golden hair is a US Senator, many PMs, Presidents within few closeby, everyone with a coat, sunglass, earphone jack are Secret Service Agents ( A special commando force protecting VVIPs like US President, very similiar to India's SPG)

Global Citizen Festival, Central Park, Saturday, Sept 27

I was fortunate enough to have a spot near dais standing next to crowd of Hollywood celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, singers Beyonce, Jay Z to many…. then many bigwigs like Queen Silvia of Sweden,her daughter, Senator Hillary Clinton and hundreds film stars, leaders, CEOs, Politicians around the world shaking legs to raise funds to support World’s poverty elimination programme.  From PM Narendra Modi to Sweden’s Queen , all were standing, cheering up, no chairs for anyone to sit , it was time of all  to enjoy the 6 hrs musical night, sending the message to world leaders to contribute money for  poor children, raising fund for developing countries children, education etc. At almost six hours, the show included plenty of speeches from charitable-foundation executives and heart-rending videos about those who suffer from poverty and its symptoms sprinkled in between performances from music superstars. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon,  Prime Minister Modi’s short speech was well received among the crowd. PM Modi saluted crowd for joining this noble initiative to eradicate poverty from the world.

Picture : Famous singer Nate Ruess electrifying the stage at Global Citizen Festival at Central Park

Picture: World famous singers Jay Z and Beyonce performing in stage at Global Citizen Festival, Central Park

More to follow in next columns on Prime Minister Modi’s  visit to New York.

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