Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont returned from a trade mission to India nursing a broken arm.
Speaking at a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday, the Democratic governor appeared with his left arm secured in a black sling. Lamont, who is right-handed, explained that he suffered the injury after slipping on wet marble during his weeklong visit to the country.
“It’s broken,” he informed reporters, emphasizing how inexpensive his medical treatment in India turned out to be.
Detailing his experience, Lamont said, “I’ll tell you that it broke, I get a nurse, I go and get an X-ray, they give me this sling. I come back, I go talk to this business group and I said, ‘You guys are amazing, it only cost $10.’ They said, ‘You got ripped off.’”
Reflecting on the incident, he added, “That’s India.”
Despite the injury, Lamont successfully led a delegation of state officials and business representatives, engaging with around 30 companies during the trip. He returned to Connecticut with a signed memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening economic ties between the state and Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state.
Connecticut has a significant Indian-origin population, with approximately 38,000 residents born in India, accounting for 14% of the state’s foreign-born population. Additionally, India is the leading country of origin for international students in Connecticut, with 7,200 of the 19,990 international students in the state hailing from India.