Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked-off his maiden visit in the U.S. on Sunday with a Bollywood-themed reception, as thousands of Indian Americans cheered the enigmatic Indian leader.

More than 20,000 Indian Americans received the charismatic Modi, who spoke from a rotating stage in the city's Madison Square Garden.

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Modi's appearance preludes his first visit at the White House where he is expected to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday and Tuesday.

On Saturday, Modi spoke at the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.

In a rousing reception that featured dancers in traditional Indian dress, laser shows and holograms of India's historical figure, the new prime minister told Indian expatriates that the new century belongs to Asians.

He also referred to it as "India's century" as shots of India's future skyscrapers, solar energy plants and microchip factories filled the stage backdrop.

Modi told the sell-out crowd that India has potentials "other countries in the world don't": its ancient cultural and historical heritage, and it being the world's youngest country. He said, the time has come for India.

Modi also used the rally to showcase India as the world's most populous democracy, saying that democracy in India is a belief and it finds common ground with the United States.

Speaking in Hindi, and referring to some familiar phrases he used during his election campaign, Modi told the enthusiastic crowd of his economic ambitions for India. He said his government "will not do anything" that will let the two million Indian expats down.

The crowd, a lot of them wearing Modi T-shirts, frequently interrupted the prime minister's speech with applause.

Across the street in Madison Square Garden, anti-Modi protesters chanted behind police cordon, "Modi, Modi, you can't hide, you committed genocide!''

Modi won the May elections this year, but his five-day trip in the United States marks a turn since 2005 when he was denied U.S. visa for allegedly supporting the anti-Muslim riots in his home state Gujarat.

TagsIndian Prime Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Modi in New York, Gujarati People