United States President George W Bush and his wife Laura, on a three-day visit to India, landed in Hyderabad on Friday morning, and was warmly welcomed by Andhra Pradesh Governor Rameshwar Thakur and Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, state chief secretary T K Dewan and director general of police Swaranjit Sen.
Hyderabad is the only city that the president will visit apart from the national capital New Delhi.
Air Force One landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 0935 IST, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. As part of the presidential security, an aircraft resembling Air Force One landed at the airport minutes before the actual Boeing carrying the American First Couple arrived.
Another aircraft similar to the President's plane also flew past after Air Force One's landing.
Bush signed autographs for a couple of kids who greeted him as he stepped down from Air Force One. With a ring of US security agents around, Bush and his wife walked out to the Marine One helicopter in which the entourage proceeded for the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University for an interaction with agricultural scientists, progressive farmers and members of women's self-help thrift groups.
In the afternoon, the US President will meet young entrepreneurs at the Indian School of Business before leaving for Delhi.
