Barack Obama to visit Delhi on Dec 1, resident urges him to wear face mask

New Delhi: Former US President Barack Obama will address Hindustan Times Leadership Summit at the town hall here on 1st December, the Obama Foundation has said.

He is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the town hall, the former US president, in his first visit to India after demitting office in January, will interact with nearly 300 young leaders drawn from various parts of the country.

“The town hall will expand the conversation about what it means to be an active citizen and make an impact and how the Obama Foundation can support emerging leaders in this effort,” the Foundation said in an update.

Meanwhile, a Delhi resident has urged former US president Barack Obama to wear a face mask during his scheduled town hall meeting.

Data scientist Amrit Sharma, who made the request in an open letter to Obama, said doing so would help generate awareness and catalyze action on air pollution.

Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category for the seventh straight day today with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording an AQI (air quality index) of 360.

Sharma has also been invited to attend the interactive session with Obama at the town hall.

“You are one the most photographed people on earth, but none of your photos could potentially save millions of lives yet.

“I believe that if you wear a face mask while you are in Delhi and take a photo (of it), that alone could have such an impact,” Sharma wrote in the open letter to Obama.

He acknowledged that in a developing country like India, a vast section of the population could not afford the expensive face masks, let alone an air purifier.

However, he said, Obama wearing a mask at a public forum might spur the authorities into action.

Delhi’s air quality was under an intense scanner when Obama had attended the 2015 Republic Day parade as the chief guest.

PTI