Rickshaws in India celebrating America’s birthday

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0:26You're listening to State of the World from NPR. We bring you the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. I'm Greg Dixon. In the United States, a long holiday weekend over the 4th of July celebrates America's 250th birthday. Recently, NPR correspondent in India, Diyah Hadid, found an unlikely place that same birthday is being marked, on the back of rickshaws in New Delhi. Those are the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxis in that part of the world, a motorbike but with a backseat for two people. Right now, some rickshaws in New Delhi are sporting Happy Birthday America signs, some with President Donald Trump's face.

1:08Dia takes us to New Delhi to investigate. I'm standing on a road near the New Delhi railway station and rickshaws are whizzing by. It's a popular way to get around this city. They also have big sort of square backs and so they're often used as advertising space. So one rickshaw has just gone by and it has an advertisement for fertility treatments. Another one is advertising quick loans for$100 ,000 in just 24 hours. And in the past few days, you can see rickshaws around New Delhi that are emblazoned with happy birthday America. They also say 250 years old. Some are accompanied by an image of the Statue of Liberty.

1:58Others have a portrait of President Donald Trump. There's one with Trump's face on Vinod Matur's rickshaw. Matur says a marketing agent gave him a packet of tea bags as an incentive to put the sign on his rickshaw. He tells NPR producer Umkar Khandakar, I don't speak English, but I think it's about Donald Trump's birthday.

2:25No, no, no, he corrects himself. The number is 250. It must be America's birthday.

2:40Matua says America seems like a nice country with good people.

2:47But he also links America to the Mideast War, which has pushed up the price of gas. He says that's pushed up the price of everything else, milk, his kids' school fees, the rent. He says it's really difficult for a poor person like me to survive.

3:11Matur says Trump could end this war in a minute if he wants. Down the road, Santos Chauhan also has a happy birthday America sign with President Trump's face on his rickshaw.

3:25Chauhan calls Trump a king. Arrogant. Transactional. Chauhan says, those aren't bad things. He says, if a man like Trump ruled India, we wouldn't get rolled by Pakistan all the time. That's India's bitter rival. Chauhan too is a bit transactional.

3:52He agreed to have the Happy Birthday America poster because the marketing guys installed it in a way that made a new roof cover for his rickshaw. That helps protect Chauhan against the blazing heat. It's 111 degrees as we speak. He says, if I had to pay for a new roof cover, it'd be a bit expensive, like$15. These Happy Birthday America rickshaw posters are an initiative financed by the American Embassy in New Delhi. They call it the Freedom Fleet. We were at the embassy recently where a rather Trump-friendly playlist blasted over the loud speakers.

4:34We ran into the deputy spokesman John Brown and asked him about the Happy Birthday America rickshaws. This was a chance for us to get the word out and tell the people of India how excited we are about our nation's birthday. And I asked Brown why the advertisements had a picture of the president, not just symbols of America. He's our president. We're very proud of him. So it's a mix, right? You'll see some have President Trump. Some have the Statue of Liberty. Back on those baking deli roads, Rickshaw driver Vineet Singh also has a Happy Birthday America sign. His features the Statue of Liberty.

5:16We like it. He says it's cool to be associated with a strong country like America, even if it's just through a sign. He says he's got a message. Happy birthday for America and very best for all things. The very best. Dear Hadid, NPR News, New Delhi. That's the state of the world from NPR. Happy 4th of July, and thanks for listening. This message comes from Viking, committed to exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on an elegant Viking longship with thoughtful service, destination-focused dining, and cultural enrichment on board and on shore. And every Viking voyage is all-inclusive with no children and no casinos.

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