Gingerly I stepped forward with my family to meet the security halfway. Even with
the official invitation I was thinking: What if? What if they don‛t let me in? What
if we don‛t pass the stringent security checks? What if they suddenly tell us that
he has some more important appointment to attend to? What if...?
Armed security guards wherever you looked. The long driveway had multiple
checkpoints and metal detectors - after each check I allowed myself a little sigh
of relief. Eventually I noticed the beautiful rose and sculptured gardens on either
side of the driveway. Before I could fully appreciate them we were in front of an
imposing flight of steps leading to a majestic door, with the flag of India proudly
flying at the top. Breathtaking stone architecture all around.This was the
Rashtrapati Bhavan - home to the 13th President of India himself, The Hon‛ble
Pranab Mukherjee. The ‘Presidential Residence‛, designed by Edwin Lutyens, is the
second biggest home of a head of state after the Palazzo del Quirinal in Rome,
where the Italian president lives.
I was going there to meet him, the President of the largest democracy in the world.
I was struck with awe and trepidation as I finally entered. At last I could see this
place from the inside. Huge halls with beautiful chandeliers and portraits of past
Presidents blurred before my eyes. All around, there was ornate furniture evoking
an ambience of royal grandeur I have never seen or experienced before.
Unbelievable splendour. I at last reached the beautifully appointed waiting room.
Half-listening to the Protocol Officer going over and over again of what I could do
and how I should behave in front of the President, I was pleasantly surprised to be
served by a uniformed steward with various Indian snacks that had been freshly
cooked by the Presidential chef. I needed no prodding to dive in and as I was
finishing the last morsels of the mouth-watering delicacies, I was ushered into the
main room where I was going to meet the man himself. Along with the President
and his security there was also the official photographer, the only one allowed to
take pictures. As soon as I entered, the flashes of the camera hit me but my whole
undivided attention was on the President.
I was worried about saying the wrong thing or not following the protocol, which had
been drilled into me as I approached the President and greeted him shyly. He
smiled at me warmly and reassured me not to feel nervous. He then started asking
me about my mathematical achievements.
I have always had a passion for mathematics. It has always been the one thi