In March 2000, former US President Bill Clinton's maiden visit to Hyderabad and his address to the Information Technology leaders made the city famous.
Six years later, Hyderabad is earning the distinction of being the only city besides New Delhi to be visited by two US Presidents.
Complete Coverage: Bush in India
What is it that attracts US Presidents to Hyderabad?
Rediff.com spoke to a cross section of people in Hyderabad to find out:
N Chandrababu Naidu, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister:
I would say it was the pace of growth especially in the fields of IT that my government set in that is attracting global leaders to Hyderabad. I am glad that President Bush is coming to Hyderabad. It is a great moment for Hyderabad and for the people of Andhra Pradesh. Today, Hyderabad is India's leading city in attracting IT companies, from across the world. I am happy that I laid the foundation stone for a global city called Hyderabad.
Suresh Krishna, Software Engineer:
Hyerabad is the new face of India. It is the face of India's globalisation. It is the face of modernity. If you recall, 10 years back Hyderabad used to be a boring place to live in. When I studied here, I always thought of going to Delhi, Mumbai or any other city in the world to work in. But I am settled in Hyderabad, with a great job because the city has everything that a global city has. It is a happening place. President Bush must have chosen Hyderabad because it represents India's success story.
S Raghuvir Reddy, Citizen Cyber Café Owner:
I think President Bush is coming to Hyderabad because America regards Hyderabad as an emerging global city. The state has been also an ideal investment destination for many global companies, especially from the US. The beauty of Hyderabad is that it is a city of all religions. All of us live peacefully, without any major communal problems. We know that the city will be now famous after the Bush visit.
Shakti Sagar, Managing Director of ADP Private Limited:
I think it is the right city in India that President Bush has chosen to visit. It is the most happening place in India. I am sure Bush's visit will help the city to emerge on the international map. It will provide tremendous trade spin-off benefits and open the doors for foreign direct investment.
Ratna Kumar Varma, Jewellery Shop Owner:
It is a great feeling that the US President is coming to our city. It is not just in IT that Hyderbad is famous for. The world's most precious jewels of Nizam are in Hyderabad. I wish Bush visits Nizam's jewels. This is known for its pearls, palaces and mouth-watering cuisine. And of course the city excels in IT, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. So isn't it the right place that the US President should come?
DV Manohar, Chairman, Shakti Group of companies and ex-chairman of CII:
It is the most happening city in south India. It is already a boom time for the city with a new international airport, FAB City and several infrastructure projects coming up and the US president's visit is expected to give further momentum to the pace of development. The visit by their president will help the city get recognition. This visit would help Hyderabad attract more global investment.
Raghevdra Rao, Communist Party of India leader:
It is a shame that President Bush is visiting Hyderabad. How can anyone say Hyderabad has grown to become a good city because of any US connections? Like every city, Hyderabad has also been getting investment from global companies. Ideally, President Bush should visit Andhra Pradesh villages to see the suicide of farmers. The globalisation policies of the government are leading farmers to commit suicide. I think Bush's visit will only aggravate the problem of farmers.
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