Washington, June 8: Narendra Modi spent half a day on Wednesday in the "temple of democracy" and laid groundwork which guarantees that India's "natural alliance" with America, launched by his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will survive into the next generation of leaders in the world's oldest nation ruled by adult franchise.
That the Prime Minister's initiative was an unqualified success became clear when it took Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, long after Modi ended his speech to close the joint meeting of both Houses of the US Congress.
The Prime Minister was surrounded after his address by throngs of young American legislators seeking his autograph, making his exit through the aisle slow, if not impossible. The Speaker cannot adjourn the meeting until the special guest has exited the chamber. That process took eight to 10 minutes.
That Ryan himself was awed by the leader of the world's largest democracy was also obvious when he interminably and repeatedly clapped like a star-struck fan during Modi's nearly 50-minute speech to senators and Congressmen.
The Speaker's excitement was in sharp contrast to the older and senior American leader, Vice-President Joe Biden, who jointly presided over the meeting with Ryan in Biden's ex-officio capacity as president of the Senate. Biden was enthusiastic but correct and measured.
In all, senators and Congressmen applauded Modi 25 times during his speech. At least half of these were standing ovations. The biggest ovation was when Modi spoke about the three million-strong Indian American community and their contribution to the US as well as India's pride in the community's achievements.
"Today, they are among your best CEOs, academics, astronauts, scientists, economists, doctors, even spelling bee champions."
The last was a reference to Indian students who have been winning spelling bee contests in successive years to the amazement of other ethnic American communities.
"They are your strength. They are also the pride of India. They symbolise the best of both our societies," Modi said about Americans of Indian descent.
A titter swept through his audience when the Prime Minister spoke about other Indian associations with American society. "SIRI tells us that India's ancient heritage of yoga has over 30 million practitioners in the US. It is estimated that more Americans bend for yoga than to throw a curveball. And, no Mr Speaker, we have not yet claimed intellectual property right on yoga."
SIRI is a specialised computer program that works on some Apple operating systems. Many older senators and Congressmen did not know about SIRI, prompting Modi to pause and ask: "You know SIRI?" They were impressed by the Prime Minister's easy familiarity with advanced technology. A curveball is a baseball term.
Many in the joint chamber on Capitol Hill were surprised by Modi's easy familiarity with the geography of the US, especially the layout of Washington. "A mere distance of three miles separates the Martin Luther King memorial at Tidal Basin from the statue of Gandhi at Massachusetts Avenue." The reference was in the context of how "Gandhi's non-violence inspired the heroism of Martin Luther King."
Sensitive to such surprise, Modi let his audience into a secret he had shared with Indian journalists in Washington at an off-the-record meeting during his first visit to the US as Prime Minister.
"My understanding of your great country began long before I entered public office. Long before assuming office, I travelled coast to coast, covering more than 25 states of America. I realised then that the real strength of the US was in the dreams of its people and the boldness of their ambitions." Modi had told journalists in 2014 that he actually visited 29 American states.
The only one of his predecessors that Modi referred to in the context of their dealings with the US was Vajpayee.
"More than 15 years ago, as Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee stood here and gave a call to step out of the 'shadow of hesitation' of the past. The pages of our friendship since then tell a remarkable story. Today, our relationship has overcome the hesitations of history. Comfort, candour and convergence define our conversations. Through the cycle of elections and transitions of administrations the intensity of our engagements has only grown. And, in this exciting journey, the US Congress has acted as its compass."
As expected, Modi only hinted at what the US Congress had done for India in curbing cross-border terrorism and bolstering India's standing in its volatile neighbourhood. "India will never forget the solidarity shown by the US Congress when terrorists from across our border attacked Mumbai in November of 2008. And for this, we are grateful."
He also praised the role of the US Congress in helping facilitate the Indo-US nuclear deal. "In the fall of 2008, when Congress passed the India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement, it changed the very colours of leaves of our relationship. We thank you for being there when the partnership needed you the most."
Modi's long day on Capitol Hill began well before his actual address when Ryan received Modi outside his ceremonial office and conducted the Prime Minister into a full-court congressional leadership meeting. In addition to Ryan, the meeting was attended by the top-tier leadership of both the Republican and Democratic parties in both chambers of Congress.
A 35-member panel made up of various committee chairs in both chambers then met Modi and escorted him to the joint meeting. The highlight of the day was a lunch by Ryan, which no previous Indian leader who addressed Congress was ever given.
Ryan is seen by many as a future President. He is younger than the current average US political leader and has time on his side. Which is why Modi's day on Capitol Hill was an investment in the next generation of American leadership.
