Mumbai:
On their first stop on a four-day India visit, US President Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle, visited the 26/11 memorial at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. The Obamas also spoke to a few survivors of the 26/11 attacks, in which 166 people, including five Americans were killed.
(Watch: Obama lands in Mumbai) President Obama was taken around the Taj by Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Sons which owns the Taj chain of hotels, and Raymond Bikson, the CEO of the Taj Group. Symbolically, the US President and many in his 3000-person entourage will be staying at the Taj. All the 506 rooms in the hotel have been booked for the delegation.
"There has been a great commentary on our decision to begin our visit here, in this dynamic city at this historic hotel. Those who have asked whether this is intended to send a message, my answer is simply absolutely," Obama told a gathering that included kin of victims and staffers of the hotel who braved the 2008 attack. He made a special reference to General Manager of the Hotel Karamveer Kang who continued to work at the hotel during the 60 hours of mayhem despite losing his family. "Taj is a symbol of strength of Indian people." Obama also talked about the role of an Indian nanny who saved the life of a toddler, who lost his Jewish parents during the attack at the Chabad House.
(Watch: Obama quotes Nehru, mentions Gandhi in speech at Taj Hotel)"We will never forget awful images of the 26/11 attacks, the flames from Taj Hotel that lit up the skies on those four days of November, 2008. Those who attacked Mumbai wanted to demoralise the city and India, but they failed because the very next day people of Mumbai were back to work," said Obama.
The US President said the United States and India stand united, adding, "Our two governments have been sharing intelligence to avoiding more attacks and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice."
The US President touched down in Mumbai in Air Force One at 12:50 this afternoon. He and First Lady Michelle Obama were given a red carpet welcome and were received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Salman Khursheed, the minister-in-waiting for him. Chavan presented Obama a coffee table book on Maharashtra. "I have been looking forward to this visit," Obama told the Maharashtra Chief Minister after landing. (
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Watch: Did Ashok Chavan break protocol?)
On sighting the US Ambassador in India, Timothy Roemer, in the reception line, the President gave him a spirited hand-shake and the envoy gave him a warm embrace. The Obama couple exchanged a few pleasantries with the Roemers before walking briskly to Marine One which took them to INS Shikra from where they were driven down to the iconic Taj Hotel.
(Read: Obama writes on his India trip)