Catholic School In Mumbai To Host President Obama

MUMBAI, Maharashtra (SAR ) A Catholic school at Colaba here has been chosen for the world’s most powerful man to celebrate the festival of lights during his five-day visit to India.
            U.S. President Barack Hussain Obama and his wife Michelle will join their second Deepavali celebrations with the students of Holy Name School in southern Mumbai, November 7 morning. Last year, the president celebrated his first Deepavali at the White House along with many Indian-Americans.
            But not all of the students in the Colaba school will be in luck to share their festival joy with the Obamas. A small group of only 24 children have been handpicked to give the president company.
            Principal of the school, Father Michael Pinto, November 2 said: “We were surprised and at the same time happy to know that our school has been chosen for the Deepavali celebrations with the American president. The children are very excited and they feel honoured that Obama is visiting their school.”
            The students are now busy preparing cultural programmes and projects to impress the president. While some are making welcome posters, some others are sweating it out, practising the traditional Koli dance to welcome the U.S. first couple.
            “The president will come to the school on Sunday morning and we’ll make a few presentations on environment. Then a small cultural programme, which includes a Deepavali dance and a traditional Koli dance, will be performed. A brief interaction session will also be conducted between the students and Obama,” Father Pinto said.
            Obama and Michelle will be received by Koli dancers and taken to the auditorium where the couple will light a traditional lamp.
            To a reporter’s query whether the school was chosen because it was a Church-run institute, the principal said: “We have 60 per cent Hindu students, 35 per cent Muslims and only five per cent Christians. But it may that we have a very good record in academics as well as cultural activities.”
            The local police, security agencies and officials from the White House, the American presidential palace, have been regularly visiting the 70-year-old Holy Name School to oversee security arrangements.