The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Clinton cosies up to Chennai

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 02, 2006
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Clinton cosies up to Chennai

T. S. Shankar

STILL A CHARMER: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton waves to onlookers at the Chennai airport.. — Photo: A. Muralitharan .

CHENNAI: The Air Traffic Controllers at the Chennai Airport kept a close watch from the moment the MD-87 business jet with former United States President Bill Clinton took off from the New Delhi airport and arrived here around midnight on Thursday.

While the delayed arrival of the high-profile visitor gave anxious moments to high-ranking police personnel and State Government protocol officials, shortly after alighting from the gleaning jetliner, Mr. Clinton did not disappoint on-lookers at the airport. After getting into the waiting limousine, he was all smiles and waved all the way to those who greeted him, not minding the odd hour.

Mr. Clinton, according to airport sources, was also wonderstruck to see so many jets belonging to various private airlines parked in the bays, reminding him of the current boom witnessed in the civil aviation sector.

The former US President drove to Hotel Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam, for a nine-hour stay in the Presidential suite. His entourage had booked 25 rooms in the luxury hotel. President Clinton had a combination of south Indian and Chinese dishes at the restaurant. According to the hotel staff, Mr. Clinton looked quite happy, mingling with the crowd even at that hour.

Prabhat Varma, General Manager, said Mr. Clinton remarked about the changing face of Chennai, as he openly said he ``wanted to be part of the Chennai culture."

After his return from the trip to tsunami rehabilitation sites at Cuddalore, the VVIP came back to Chennai in his chopper and emplaned for Phukhet around 2 p.m. on Friday.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu