A presidential visit is hardly an occasion for a tenant-landlord meeting.
But such a meeting took place at the VIP lounge of the Kochi naval airport on Saturday on the arrival of President Ram Nath Kovind for his return journey to New Delhi after a two-day visit to the State.
From Edathua
Ruben George from Edathua, who dropped in at the airport to meet the President, has been Mr. Kovind’s tenant for the past ten years.
A management consultant, Mr. George has been staying at Mr. Kovind’s house at Kalyanpur, near Kanpur, in Uttar Pradesh.
The President even referred to the honesty of his long-term tenant while talking about the goodness and service mindedness of Malayalis at a reception organised by the State government and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Friday.
Mr. Kovind said Malayalis were blessed to be born in the land of Sree Narayana Guru and Ayyankali.
“Since I left Kanpur, an honest Malayali called George has been staying in my house,” Mr. Kovind has said.
Mr. George has been in Kerala since May for official matters.
He had sought an appointment to meet Mr. Kovind on knowing about the President’s State visit.
The President’s office approved the meeting on knowing that it was the same George about whom Mr. Kovind had referred to at the meeting. Mr. George also knew about the President’s good words for him from his office.
Born in Kanpur
Mr. George was born and brought up in Kanpur, where his parents worked. Though they returned to Kerala on retirement, Mr. George stayed back in Kanpur.
He last met Mr. Kovind two years ago. Mr. George used to meet Mr. Kovind whenever the latter came to Kanpur before assuming charge as Bihar Governor.