Andhra hospitality touches Bush's heart

US President George W. Bush, who visited this Andhra Pradesh capital for four hours earlier this month, has said the land and people he met had touched his heart.
In a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Bush thanked him for his hospitality and praised the leadership's strong commitment to agriculture and welfare of farmers.
'It is very clear to one (and all) that the people of your state hold you in high esteem,' he said in a communication written and signed by himself and delivered Saturday.
According to a statement from the chief minister's office, Bush wrote that his visit to Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University on March 3 was very educating and opened his eyes to the long strides made by India in agriculture over years.
'India is on the threshold of a major revolution in agriculture and emerging as a super economic power,' he said.
'The agriculture centre (university) was most interesting,' wrote the US president, indicating how he enjoyed meeting Indian agricultural scientists and enterprising women leaders from the villages of the state.
'The American president was enthralled by Indian fruits, plants, crops, enterprising women and the simplicity of the farmers during his four-hour visit,' said the statement.