Honoured: US secy of state Rubio after Missionaries of Charity visit

Kolkata: US secretary of state Marco Rubio began his maiden India visit with a brief but symbolic stop in Kolkata on Saturday, spending nearly three hours in the city.

Rubio, accompanied by his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio and US ambassador to India Sergio Gor, later flew to Delhi aboard a US Air Force Boeing C-32A around 10.30 am for a scheduled meeting with PM Narendra Modi. The visit marked the first by a US secretary of state to Kolkata in 14 years. The last such visit was by Hillary Clinton (2012), when she met then CM Mamata Banerjee at Writers' Buildings. Flying in directly from Sweden, Rubio landed at Kolkata airport around 6.40 am and headed straight to the Missionaries of Charity headquarters, reaching there around 7.35 am.



Officials described the visit as a personal one. Rubio spent nearly 85 minutes with members of the order, attended a prayer service and paid respects at Mother Teresa's tomb. "Mother Teresa left a tremendous legacy of compassion and service. I was honoured to visit the Missionaries of Charity today to pay homage to her legacy...," Rubio later wrote on X.

Missionaries of Charity secretary general Sister Concettina MC said they were surprised and at the same time honoured to host Rubio. "We did not expect such a high-ranking dignitary to come here, but it was his wish to come to the Mother House, and it was a joy for us to welcome him because he wanted to receive blessings at Mother's tomb," she said.

Rubio's next stop was Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, the home for abandoned, destitute and children with disabilities run by the Missionaries of Charity. He spent around 30 minutes interacting with children and officials there. Sources said he distributed teddy bears among the children.

Sergio Gor, who accompanied Rubio during the visit, later wrote on X: "Moments like these remind us the US-India partnership rests not only on strong policies, but also on shared values and the spirit of selfless service that transcends borders."

Security was tightened across Kolkata during the visit, with traffic diversions in several parts of the city. CM Suvendu Adhikari's convoy was also stuck on VIP Road for around 56 seconds. Rubio reached Kolkata airport around 10.30 am, wherefrom he flew to Delhi. Rubio's four-day India itinerary also includes Agra and Jaipur.