It was a taste of India at President Barack Obama's First State Dinner, where he welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Hindi and treated him to a range of vegetarian delicacies, including dishes prepared with herbs from the White House kitchen garden.

Even before the state guest Singh and more than 300 other invitees were served some of the Indian delicacies at the huge tent pitched at the South Lawns of the White House, Obama set the tone by greeting in Hindi 'Aaapka Swagat Hai' (You are welcome).