Martyred cabbie's wife impressed on meeting Obama

The Mumbai terror attacks brought terrible tragedy for Moumina Khatoon.

Her husband Mohammad Umar, 35, drove the taxi that was destroyed in an explosion in Vile Parle, northwestern Mumbai, on the night of November 26.

On Saturday, Khatoon met US President Barack Obama at the Taj Mahal hotel, Mumbai.

"The hotel was very grand and impressive. I liked it. The president was very courteous," the young widow, who stays with four small children in a slum in Govandi in Mumbai's northeastern suburbs, told Rediff.com

Khatoon's brother-in-law, who accompanied her, was not allowed to enter the hotel.

"I went there at 10 am although they had called us at 11 am," she said.

Feeling glad to have met the US president, she said: "I did not understand a word he said to me. I think the person who introduced us must have understood. I did not ask him what he said even later."

Khatoon shook hands with Obama; something that will no doubt be part of the stories she will tell her children when they grow up.