Around 150 students of a government school at Sanganer could scarcely believe their eyes: a former President of the United States serving subziroti to them on Wednesday for their midday meal.
While most kids at Government Praveshika Sanskrit Vidyalaya identified Clinton as “Amrika ka pradhan mantri”, “Angrez sir”, and “gora aadmi”, only a handful knew the distinguished guest was once the most powerful man in the world. Clinton arrived with a 25member delegation, most of them donors or representatives of business houses, to see the mid-day meal scheme in action at Akshaya Patra foundation kitchen in Jaipur.
For 20 minutes, Clinton and his team served food to students. The former US President greeted every child with a smile and asked about their health and studies. The delegates too spoke to students, took pictures, and allowed them to take photos. Some students shared their food with the delegates.
Clinton and the delegates were astonished to see two students of Class 10 solving a mathematical riddle using the Nikhilam method of Vedic Maths even before some delegates could solve those with calculators. Clinton asked Ashish Du
bey and Amrita Kumar to get in touch with the Clinton Foundation through Akshaya Patra for any assistance in the future.
“Getting praise from one of the world leaders made this the biggest day of my life,” said Dubey, adding, “Since I was told about his visit, I read a lot about his political career and humanitarian work. I wish our politicians follow in his footsteps.” Clinton was touched when
he was offered a gift for her pregnant daughter Chelsea and her unborn baby. “I am very much excited to become a grandfather,” Clinton told reporters.
The 44th US President was aghast to hear the story of Rohit who lost his father, and whose mother couldn’t afford food.
“The mid-day meal programme saved me from becoming a child labourer,” Rohit told Clinton, who asked him about his en
deavors and motivated him to dream big.
“I love this programme. I think it’s the finest communication made in the history of Clinton Global Initiative. This is an ideal collaboration of government and NGO in serving society,” said Clinton. Akshaya Patra Foundation chairman Madhu Pandit Dasa said Clinton’s visit would serve to showcase the social work to their donors.
