Prez curiosity elicits CM’s dhoti discourse

BY V L Srinivasan

Published on March 4, 2006

HYDERABAD: United States President George Bush was at a loss to understand why Telugu-speaking Indian-Americans were divided into two groups - Telugu Association of North America (TANA) and American Telugu Association (ATA).

Bush, who was on his maiden visit to AP, sought a clarification on this topic from Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy while recalling his association with the Telugu-speaking NRIs back home. “Mr Chief Minister, if all Telugu-speaking people are one, why are there two groups ?” he asked.

This was one of the queries posed by Bush during their heli-hopping in the Marine One chopper of the US Air Force to Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) from Hyderabad airport on Friday morning.

The Chief Minister, however, explained that there were no major differences as they worked unitedly whenever the occasion demanded.

“Our culture is 2,000 years old and its language is beautiful and sweet. It is the second-most widely spoken language after Hindi in the country,” Rajasekhara Reddy said.

Bush also wanted to know about the style of Rajasekhara Reddy’s dress. Reddy replied: “Mr Bush. This is a distinct dress of an Andhra Pradesh farmer. I come from a farmer’s family and I like to look one among them.’’

The discussion later switched over to the personal details of the Chief Minister. Bush asked him how many children he had, how did he spend his holiday and how far away was his native from the city.

Rajasekhara Reddy replied that he was born in Balapanuru village near Pulivendula in Kadapa district and he usually spent his leisure time either in his farm house or in Ooty.

Bush expressed surprise when Rajasekhara Reddy told him that he had grandchildren. “We get married at an early age,” the Chief Minister told him.

Rajasekhara Reddy also explained his Government’s priorities and the reforms, which were being implemented with a human face. He listed the welfare programmes launched for various sections of the society, including farmers.