When PM Once Told Obama

It was his first visit to the country after becoming prime minister the same year.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Barack Obama in 2014 that the size of the then-US president’s car was almost as big as the house his mother lived in, helping the two leaders with humble origins make a deeper connection, India’s Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra has said.

Mr Kwatra, a former foreign secretary, told ‘Modi Story’, a social media handle which chronicles anecdotal accounts related to the prime minister, that the heartfelt conversation between the two leaders occurred as they headed together for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial after formal discussions.

As they sat together in Mr Obama’s stretch limousine for the 10-12 minute drive, their conversation turned to family, he noted.

In a friendly exchange, Mr Obama asked about Prime Minister Modi’s mother.

With a smile, the prime minister gave a candid and unexpected response: “President Obama, you might not believe this, but the size of your car is almost the size of the house my mother lives in,” Kwatra, who was present as a translator, recalled.

The car the two leaders were travelling in was a stretch limousine.

Prime Minister Modi’s statement, Mr Kwatra said, surprised the US president.

This candid revelation offered him a glimpse into Modi’s modest upbringing and straightforwardness.

Mr Kwatra said the conversation became a point of deeper connection between the two leaders as both had risen from humble beginnings to the highest offices in their respective nations.

It was Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to the country after becoming prime minister the same year.

His mother lived in their old home in Gujarat till she passed away in 2022.

Officials highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s ability to connect with world leaders, including US presidents, and forge deeper bonds, noting that he connects with them at a personal level, drawing on his own life experiences to bridge cultural and geopolitical differences.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi embarked on a three-day visit to the US to attend a summit of the Quad grouping and address a key conclave at the United Nations. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)