Manmohan declines Harvard invitation

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not speak at the Harvard University this September, according to a Harvard Crimson report.

The Indian Express had reported last week that the prime had accepted the invitation of Nobel Laureate and Lamont University Professor Amartya Sen to speak at the prestigious university.

Harvard University Marshal Jackie O'Neill acknowledged that Amartya Sen had extended the invitation to Dr Manmohan Singh. She also said that Harvard University President Lawrence H Summers had written a letter to the Indian prime minister welcoming him at Harvard during his visit to the United States in September.

However, Harvard Crimson said that Dr Singh had turned down the opportunity to speak at Harvard. No reason was given.

The Indian Express had also reported that India's ministry of external affairs had advised the prime minister not to speak at Harvard as the timing of the lecture would clash with bilateral negotiation appointments. The article had that MEA officials felt that a "meeting with Summers, who was treasury secretary in Bill Clinton's Democratic administration, could jeopardise relations with the current Republican White House."