Based on a request by an American citizen who was in Kerala for a destination wedding, the President of India acceded to her demand of facilitating her wedding in the same hotel as he was slated to stay
Bengaluru: There is a general belief that people in higher echelons of power do not pay enough attention to the ordinary people.
But here is an incident that will pleasantly surprise you. The protagonist in his happy story is none other than His Excellency, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
Tre President was slated to be put at the Taj Hotel in Kochi, Kerala as he was on an official visit.
Incidentally, at the same time, a couple (one of them an American citizen) were also slated to get married in the same hotel.
For Ashley Hall, the lady in question, all her glee turned to gloom as she was informed that she may have to shift the venue, owing to the President’s stay there, for reasons of uncompromising security.
Sometimes you plan a destination wedding for 8 months at an elite hotel in India.
— Ashley Hall (@hall_ash) January 4, 2020
Sometimes the President of India makes an impromptu trip to that hotel on the day of the wedding.
Sometimes you get 48 hours notice to plan an entirely new wedding.
Indignant at what had happened, she didn’t dither sending a tweet to the President himself.
Hey @rashtrapatibhvn- anything you can do to help us with your security team so that we don’t have to move our wedding from the @Taj_Cochin in under 48 hours? https://t.co/0S5y9az9Hk
— Ashley Hall (@hall_ash) January 5, 2020
To her surprise and glee, the Rashtrapati Bhavan replied, and lo and behold, in a way so as not to disturb the wedding!
The tweet read, “We are glad the issues have been resolved. President Kovind conveys his best wishes to you on this joyous occasion.”
Ashley thanked the highest office in the country profusely and the President himself for honouring her request.
I want to thank the @Taj_Cochin and State Officials for working on this with us throughout the day. Hoping we can have a beautiful wedding with the blessings of The Honorable @rashtrapatibhvn. https://t.co/i6lR4D9YDQ
— Ashley Hall (@hall_ash) January 5, 2020
As of now, we assume that the security has been lessened or some other move has been taken in order to facilitate the wedding.
(1/2) Such a Nice gesture by @rashtrapatibhvn !! End of VVIP Culture? Follow the thread
— Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh (@mayukhrghosh) January 5, 2020
An American citizen @hall_ash had her wedding planned at @Taj_Cochin months in advance. #PresidentKovind made sudden plans to stay at #TajCochin hence all scheduled plans were cancelled. https://t.co/Q31OwFeslG
Netizens were also happy that the President himself accepted the request and helped the American lady in the best possible manner in what is a destination wedding.
What the President essentially did was to honour the timeless value of Atithi Devo Bhava or when translated into English, “Look upon your guests as God”.
It is gestures like these that reaffirm the ordinary that the high and mighty are not wrapped in a blanket of arrogance of entitlement but they do happily condescend to honour the wishes of the citizens.
Last Updated Jan 10, 2020, 3:44 PM IST