Humming a song, Chinese First Lady charms Indian children

New Delhi: "Keep working hard so you can contribute to your country," this was the message by China's First Lady Peng Liyuan to the students here as she interacted with the children, even humming a song with them.

During her 45-minute visit to a school in South Delhi, 51-year-old Peng, who is also a renowned singer, shared with the students some personal glimpses of her life, leaving a lasting impression on the young minds.

"I started learning calligraphy when I was young and as little as 5 years old. I was instructed by my father," she said while applauding the lessons on yoga imparted by the school.

Peng also had words of appreciation for Indian women. "She (Peng) told me that she had a lot of respect for Indian women. They are beautiful, hard-working and can keep the family together," Meenakshi Sen, Principal of Tagore International School, said quoting Peng.

Peng left a handwritten message for students with her stamp on it.

"It is my genuine wish that our dear students who are here today should keep learning and working hard so you can contribute to your country. It is important to lay a solid foundation in terms of knowledge base since one is young," she said.

But what floored everyone was the First Lady joining the students as they sang a popular Chinese folk song. "While we were singing, she joined us and started humming," said a student Pihu Bharadwaj.

"She said that she knew the song and it was very popular back in China," said Sen.

The visit saw students of Tagore International School and its partner school Jinyuan Senior High School in Shanghai jointly performing Tai-chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, and yoga through video-link.

The First Lady also gave the schools gifts that included some Chinese story books. The school presented Peng her portrait done by Class XI student Aradhika Chakraborty.

"She is so pretty," said the 16-year-old girl about Peng, who is known to be style icon in China. The other students too gushed over the visiting First Lady including 11-year-old

Prabhjot Singh who could not stop smiling after getting a peck on the cheek from her.

"Mam, I gave three interviews because of the peck on the cheek," the kid told his principal, blushing. "So do not wash your cheek," the principal said in a lighter vein.

"The interaction which she (Peng) had with us has left a very good impression on us. Both nations should work together and have cordial relations," said Prateek Arora (17), a Class XII student.

"We have been practising with the Chinese students over the last two weeks for this visit," said Fabian Makhdoomi (13), a class VII student.