BSF camel riders welcome Obamas

NEW DELHI - Around 30 camel-mounted Border Security Force (BSF) personnel welcomed US President Barack Obama and his wife as they arrived at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence for dinner Sunday, an official said.

The contingent regaled the Obamas by playing bugles and trumpets in tune with the tinkling bells on their camels, a BSF official told IANS. A folk song was also performed.

“The BSF camel contingent’s march showcases our legacy and tradition. It is a mix of heritage and modernity,” the official added.

The uniforms the men wear is traditional and has not changed since the camel contingent was raised by Maharaja Ganga Singh, the then ruler of the erstwhile of princely state Bikaner, in the early 1900s.