Obamas’ will head to highly secured Humayun’s Tomb directly from airport

NEW DELHI - US President Barack Obama and his wife and US First Lady Michelle Obama will head directly to the renovated tomb of the second Mughal Emperor Humayun soon after their arrival in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

The Obamas’ are expected to reach the tomb complex at around 4 p.m., and will be received by the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Gautam Sengupta and Union Culture Secretary Jawahar Sircar. Senior officials of the ASI and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which spearheaded the renovation of the mausoleum complex in 2004, will show the Obamas’ around during his 40-minute visit.

The Obamas’ are also likely to interact with five tutored conservation workers during their visit. They will also meet with some underprivileged children, aged between five and eight years, who have been attending makeshift schools in the complex. A possible interaction with traditional artisans who are renovating the mausoleum’s pillars and latticed windows is also expected.

The Obamas’may also be treated to an exhibition that will explain the historical significance and background of the monument.

Humayun’s Tomb, which now attracts over a million visitors annually, has been declared out of bounds to other visitors during the visit by the Obamas’. The World Heritage site has been turned into a fortress since November 2. On Saturday, Delhi Police officials were briefed about the security arrangements for the visit for about an hour. (ANI)