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PHOTOS: When Fidel Castro Surprised Indira Gandhi With A 'Bear-Hug' During His India Trip

‘A revolution is not a bed of roses’.
NEW DELHI: Fidel Castro is met by Indira Gandhi on his arrival at airport.
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NEW DELHI: Fidel Castro is met by Indira Gandhi on his arrival at airport.

Fidel Castro, the controversial revolutionary leader and former head of state of Cuba, has died at the age of 90, Cuban state television announced.

Castro ruled Cuba for 49 years, as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008.

The Cuban leader visited India during Indira Gandhi's tenure as the Prime Minister of India. He was here to attend the 7th Non-Aligned Summit in 1983.

A IANS report recounts, how, during his visit Castro surprised Gandhi with a bear hug. "As both came to face each other, Gandhi expectantly extended her arm to receive the big wooden gavel. But Castro did not reciprocate. Gandhi, a trifle taken aback, extended her arm a second time, but Castro again failed to respond but kept smiling mysteriously.

"As a slightly embarrassed Gandhi proffered her hand a trifle hesitatingly a third time, the giant Castro pulled a surprised Gandhi to him and gave her a giant bear hug in full view of the hall, before parting with the gavel," reports IANS.

The whole hall broke into huge applause according to the report.

Here are some pictures from Castro's trip to India.

We saved the best for the last.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.