It appears India is the next big destination for high-profile Hollywood stars. A number of them have made trips to the country, all in quick succession.
After heartthrob actor Tom Cruise and fashion and musical icon Lady Gaga wowed the home crowd, American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey rolled up... to a lot of fanfare.
Now, only a few days ago, the star of the "Terminator" series of films - a certain Arnold Schwarzenegger - made his first appearance in the country and has, of course, the whole nation loving him.
The 64-year former Governor of California was a guest at the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, which was held on Thursday. His presence, it was hoped, would help spread awareness about clean and green forms of energy. The event was hosted by New Delhi-based The Energy and Research Institute (TERI).
Schwarzenegger said he had always been on a fitness crusade, ever since the early days of his life. He added he was now on a "green crusade" and wanted to inspire people to practice sustainable living techniques with the same fervor he practiced staying fit.
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The "Austrian Oak", as he is popularly known, has been a name synonymous with fitness and bodybuilding, often considered to be something of a pioneer in both fields.
He began to train with weights at the age of 15 and by 20 was "Mr. Universe". He later went on to win the "Mr. Olympia" contest seven times.
The charismatic star also said he considered Mahatma Gandhi's struggle for Indian independence as one of the most powerful movements in history, likening to the fight against apartheid and the American civil war. He pointed out that any mass movement started at a grass-roots level, fuelled by the drive of a few select individuals.
Schwarzenegger, not unlike all other Hollywood stars to visit India, confirmed he'd "always wanted to come to this land of culture and tradition" and, in keeping with the mood of the event, praised the country for managing to use as much as "11 percent of total energy mix in the country".
Meanwhile, he also presented Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan a Green Globe, for his outstanding contributions to environmental causes, as a celebrity.
The bodybuilder later wrote on his Twitter page: "Congrats on the Green Globe, @juniorbachchan. More celebrities should be pumping up green progress. I'll be back, & we should get together."
Another Twitter post (along with a photo of him with a big piece of naan) read: "I loved the food. I've loved my first trip to India. Here I am with the biggest piece of naan in Delhi".
He also wrote: "Thank you all, especially @andyz136 for the recommendation to eat at Bhukara. It was fantastic!"
Finally, and rather unfortunately, the only blot on his trip was when visiting one of India's greatest historical monuments - the Taj Mahal. Schwarzenegger reportedly found the monument closed and had to satisfy himself with photographs from the roadside, using his mobile phone.
We can only say - Better luck next time Arnie!
