Homage to Mahatma, drawn from Luther King

Obama landed in Delhi on Sunday morning, and was greeted by Modi. He then went to Rajghat after a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Minister Piyush Goel accompanied Obama and his entourage to Rajghat around 12.30 pm, where Obama laid a wreath on Gandhi’s samadhi.

Obama also planted a sapling on the front lawns, after which he drove to Hyderabad House for lunch with the Prime Minister. Rajnish Kumar, secretary in charge at Rajghat, said, “We arranged for a Bodhi (peepal) sapling, the gyan vriksh (tree of knowledge), for Obama to plant. This is the first time this has been planted on the grounds. Usually, dignitaries are given champak or mango saplings to plant. A plaque with “Ficus religiosa planted by H E Barack Obama President of the USA on 25-01-2015” embossed on it has been put up near the sapling.”

The Rajghat Samadhi Committee gifted Obama a khadi shawl, a bust of Gandhi and a miniature charkha. The workers and gardeners at the grounds said that all of them had been asked to leave the premises before Obama’s entourage entered. Only Army personnel were on the premises at the time, said Swadesh of the Army.