By Arun Kumar
Washington, Nov 28 (IANS) A celebrity-seeking couple’s caper of crashing into President Barack Obama’s State dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has cast a long shadow over India’s participation in America’s Polo Cup next year.

For it’s the Virginia couple Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who had a “wonderful time” in the company of Obamas and Manmohan Singh at the exclusive ‘black tie’ affair Tuesday, that organise the Polo Cup. It is one of the major events on the Washington social calendar.

Salahi says the US will challenge India at the Cup next June and that “(the Indian team is) very excited in this first ever cultural connection being hosted on the D.C. National Mall since polo is one of the primary sports in India and in fact, polo was invented in India.”

In fact, an announcement about India’s participation in the event was made by Salahi himself at a reception hosted by the Indian Embassy in Washington Sep 9 followed by the kick-off of a polo match between India and the US at the National Mall Sep 19.

A photograph on Michaele Salahi’s Facebook page shows the couple drinking wine and celebrating the kick-off at the Indian embassy with Arun K. Singh, the deputy chief of mission at the embassy. Arun Singh was again caught on the camera with the Salahis at the state dinner Tuesday night.

Announcing India’s participation at the embassy reception, Salahi said he had invited Oscar winner Indian composer A.R. Rahman and Pussycat Dolls to perform during the tournament at the National Mall.

“We are really excited about this partnership (between India and the US),” said Salahi claiming to be the captain of the US Polo Team.

A Washington DC tradition since 1923, America’s Polo Cup attracts thousands of people to the National Mall during the two-day annual event.