Washington:
What does ‘Obama’ mean... one who is blessed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this while co-hosting his monthly radio show ‘Mann ki baat’ with US President Barack Obama.
“Some people wonder what ‘Obama’ means. In Swahili language, spoken in parts of Africa, Barack means one who is blessed. I believe, along with a name, his family gave him a big gift,” he said.
When a questioner asked both Obama and Modi whether they had imagined to reach the positions they have reached, the US President said like Prime Minister Modi, when he had visited the White House for the first time, he too had also stood near the iron fence.
“The same is true for me. When I first went to the White House, I stood outside that same fence and looked in and I certainly did not imagine that I would ever be visiting there, much less living there. You know, I think both of us have been blessed with an extraordinary opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings.
“And when I think about what’s best in America and what’s best in India, the notion that a tea seller or somebody who’s born to a single mother like me, could end up leading our countries, is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries,” Obama said.
Talking in their context, he said making sure that children are healthy and they get equal opportunities irrespective of their background is very important.
“Because you never know who might be the next Prime Minister of India or who might be the next President of United States...they might just surprise you if you give them the chance,” he said.
