He had to go back to get into politics. He said, 'Look, I am going to study, I'm going to get a couple of years of international experience, then I'll go back and do my job that I am supposed to do.'

So, his going back to India and getting into politics was wholly of his own volition -- not prompted by anyone?

Absolutely, on his own!

Are you saying that after his father died, there was this burning desire that he's got to go back to India and complete his father's unfinished agenda?

Absolutely! He's from a different mould in terms of education. He's young, he has ideas on economic liberalisation, economic reform. He's committed to programmes like the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which is for the poor. He has been pushing that. He strongly believes that India has to focus on communal harmony because that's India's foundation.

The quintessential secularist?

Absolutely! He always says, 'our beauty is our diversity'. We are such a diverse country and that's what makes India that much more beautiful. How could you not take that as a strength and move on?