Modi in US: Penn Masala presents 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' for PM's arrival at White House

From weddings to cultural festivities to welcoming a notable personality, every occasion calls for music. Now, renowned vocal group Penn Masala, consisting of students from the University of Pennsylvania presented the hit Bollywood songs on PM Narendra Modi’s arrival at the White House. A cappella group began with ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ from Shah Rukh Khan’s 1998 hit Dil Se, then moved on to ‘Jashn-E-Bahaaraa’ from Jodha Akbar, the 2008 historical drama starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan.

The group consisting of students from South Asia performed for a large crowd, estimated to be between 2000-3000, on the South Lawns. The group’s performance was part of the ceremonial welcome to Prime Minister Modi at the White House. Additionally, they covered the British rock band Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ from the same album released in 2008.

Who is Penn Masala?

Founded in the 1990s, it comprises students from the University of Pennsylvania who were raised on Bollywood classics. As a group, it has appeared at the White House on several occasions before. It is renowned for its original compositions and harmonies that transcend traditions while capturing the experience of growing up in Eastern as well as Western cultures.

In addition, before their dinner, Biden, first lady Jill Biden and PM Modi watched dancers from Studio Dhoom, an Indian dance studio, present a tribute to Indian regions.

ANI shared the post on Twitter. They captioned the post: “Penn Masala’s rendition of the popular song ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ enchanted crowds gathered at the White House for PM Modi’s arrival.” The clip generated over 3.5 lakh views.

Check out the post:

#WATCH | Penn Masala's rendition of the popular song 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' enchants crowds gathered at the White House for PM Modi's arrival pic.twitter.com/oc1VjOKDam

— ANI (@ANI) June 22, 2023

Achievements by the Masala group

Penn Masala has performed all over the world, including the IIFA Awards and the feature film and the soundtrack to Pitch Perfect 2, winner of the American Music Award for Best Soundtrack in 2015. The group, along with the American violinist and conductor Joshua Bell, were invited to perform during the the State dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi’s USA visit

The Prime Minister arrived in the US on Wednesday, 21 June, to embark on the second leg of his first state visit. This is the first time the White House has hosted a plant-based state dinner: no meat, no dairy and no eggs, according to National Public Radio, an American nonprofit media organisation. The highlight of Modi’s Washington visit is the gala dinner for 400 VIPs on Thursday. The stakes are high as the White House strengthens relations with India.

The one-to-one meeting between PM Modi and President Biden in the Oval Office of the White House aims to boost Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space and critical technologies.

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