The photo-ops may have ended with America's First Couple waving goodbye from their Air Force One as they ended their three-day visit to India on Tuesday, but the country will remember vibrant images that spoke of their natural charm and spontaneity - of the US President and his wife Michelle joining kids on a dance floor in Mumbai, of Obama rolling-up his sleeves and letting loose a bit as he faced some hardball questions from young India and of many more such interactions.
US President Barack Obama has India gushing.
The photo-ops may have ended with America's First Couple waving goodbye from their Air Force One as they ended their three-day visit to India on Tuesday, but the country will remember vibrant images that spoke of their natural charm and spontaneity - of the US President and his wife Michelle joining kids on a dance floor in Mumbai, of Obama rolling-up his sleeves and letting loose a bit as he faced some hardball questions from Young India, and of many more such interactions.
From actors to politicians, school children to college students – everyone has an Obama story to tell. Here's a look.
"President Obama said he has heard a lot about my work and my films," said a visibly jubilant Aamir Khan who was invited to the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Obamas.
"The First Lady told me that she danced to one of my songs (the Rang De Basanti number, while playing hopscotch with special children in Mumbai)," Aamir added.
Actor-activist Shabana Azmi and husband Javed Akhtar was the only couple to be invited at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dinner in honour of the American President. While Javed donned a sherwani for the occasion, his begum wore a Kanjeevaram silk saree in flaming orange and deep maroon colours. The first thing that Mrs Obama said on being introduced to the couple was congratulate Shabana on her choice of colours.
"It was a very pleasant evening. Serious and informal issues were discussed. Yes, I did recommend Indian designs. And she seemed really eager to learn more. The reason why Michelle is the darling of the US people is that she promoted young American designers when she became the President's wife," said Shabana.
Soon after the powerful US couple was introduced to Ratan Tata, who heads the $ 72 billion conglomerate, President Obama told the First Lady this is the person who created the $2,500 wonder car. Eyewitnesses said that Michelle immediately expressed the desire to see the car that revolutionised the auto industry and put India prominently on the global map.
Tata immediately organised a gleaming Nano along with a chauffeur, right at the porch of luxurious Taj Mahal Palace hotel in front of the Gateway of India, where the Obamas were camping.
The Left may have staged protests during his visit but US President Barack Obama was "glad" to meet an Indian Communist leader.
"I am glad to meet an Indian communist. I am told that communists have been part of the (Indian) political mainstream," Obama told CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury as they shook hands at the Rashtrapati Bhawan banquet.
"US President Barack Obama's eyes said it all" - This is how Scherr Kia Dilisek, an American survivor of 26/11 attacks, summed up her brief interaction with the visiting dignitary at a private meeting.
"He (Obama) deeply connected with each of us present in the room. It was a very heartfelt and moving occasion for us. Though he didn't speak much, his eyes spoke a lot. It was a connection of the heart rather...," she said.
As US President Barack Obama walked in to a thunderous applause to interact with 300 students gathered at the famous quadrangle of St Xavier's College in Mumbai, it was clear right from the beginning that he would not have an easy road ahead. In fact, it was something his wife Michelle Obama had urged the students to do - Give the President a tough time. But, to his credit, through it all the President did not blink.
The Obamas were on a charm offensive, winning hearts upfront with their customary namaste.
His very first question came from a young student from St. Xavier's College, Anam Ansari. She asked, "What is your take or opinion about jihad?"
In response, Barack Obama said that jihad has a lot of meanings with Islam. He added, "More than a billion people who practice Islam, an overwhelming majority view their obligations as ones that reaffirm peace, fairness, tolerance. All of us recognise that this great religion in the hands of a few has been distorted to violence which is never justified."
The show stopper question was the one on Pakistan, that HR management student Afsheen Irani put to him. President Obama did not give Afsheen the straight-forward answer she hoped for, but he did acknowledge that progress on eradicating terror there has not been as fast as he had hoped.
Mohini Bhattacharya who attended the interaction told NDTV, "I don't think there are many people in our generation or the previous generation who have a vision like his."
The interaction that lasted an hour had all 300 students in the audience hanging on to his every word.
Obama cast his spell from the moment he entered the majestic Central Hall of Parliament with members clamouring to shake hands with him.
He literally stole the show in his address to the Parliament, peppering his speech with words like Jai hind, Bahut dhanyawad and Panchatantra to connect with the world's largest democracy.
Striking the right note with the aam aadmi, the US President ended his address to the Parliament with a “Thank You, Jai Hind and long live the partnership between India and the United States.”
Obama referred to the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi, the villages of Punjab, an old section of Kolkata or a new high rise in Bangalore. He said that every person deserves the same chance to live in security and dignity to get an education, to find work, and to give their children a better future.
