Contributing Photographer Jay Mandal was at the Oval Office for a shoot recently when its resident took charge of the proceedings. In Jay's words:
As a photojournalist, I have been covering events worldwide for nearly 25 years, with a special interest in South Asian affairs, particularly meetings of Indian leaders and Presidents at the White House.
My first one was way back in July 1982, when then prime minister Indira Gandhi met with US president Ronald Reagan. I was a budding photographer then, barely over five weeks in this country. I did not have press accreditation, yet I found myself in the esteemed location, courtesy of India's then ambassador to Washington DC, K R Narayanan.
Since then, I have had the privilege of photographing almost every Indian prime minister who has visited the US as well as many other political leaders from India. Last March, I travelled with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Washington, DC for an assignment.
Unlike many photo assignments in the past, this trip turned out to be very special for me. After a hectic morning of pictures at the State Department, I went to the White House. After the usual screening, scanning of equipment and other security checks, I was escorted to a `little holding area' between the Oval Office and Vice President Dick Cheney's office. In a short while, a young woman approached to alert me that I would be escorted to the Oval Office, and sure enough minutes later a tall gentleman armed with three different cameras and lenses strapped on his neck arrived and asked if I was ready to move.
Beyond the door to the holding area where I was waiting was the Oval Office. There I saw the President talking to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. "Good afternoon, Mr President," I said. The President looked at me and asked if I had travelled with Minister Mukherjee from India. "Yes, Mr President." "Are you part of the delegation?" he inquired. I responded, "No, Mr President, I am the photographer covering the minister's visit."
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Much to my disbelief, he put his hand on my shoulder. He shook my hand, asked his personal photographer to take a picture of us, and smiled for the camera. While I am accustomed to quick shots, this one was completely unanticipated: Me, a member of the media, being photographed with the US President, and that too inside the Oval Office!
Eric Draper, director of White House photographers, clicked away as I stood, bewildered and excited about the unexpected photo session.
All I could tell the President was that it was beyond my imagination to be photographed with him, that I felt honoured by his kind gesture. He responded with a humble "Why not?" Some days later, I received an e-mail from the White House, asking me to confirm my postal address. A lady wanted to mail me the photograph with the President. I received a few photographs from the White House with my name written below and the President's signature, and this is one of them.
