The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who was once unwelcome in the U.S., received rock-star treatment at Madison Square Garden in New York Sunday.

The State Department had revoked his visa in 2005 over his alleged role in deadly religious riots in Gujarat three years earlier, when he was Chief Minister, and it is his first visit to the U.S. in more than two decades, The New York Times reported.

The visit, which includes a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, and a meeting with President Barack Obama, is also seen by many as a way to connect with the Indian diaspora in the United States.

"Prime Minister Modi's message will be refreshing -- what role Indian-Americans can play promoting a relationship between two great stories," Dr. Bharat Barai, a longtime friend of Modi.

Many Indians in the U.S. see Modi as India's savior: a strong leader who has pledged to cut through red tape, stamp out corruption, revive India's economy and restore pride. His rags-to-riches story is compared to the rise of the state of Gujarat, which gave him the landslide victory in the Indian general election in May.

"Modi's trip will jump-start the process of restoring respect and admiration for Indian civilization," Sant Gupta, 66, of Virginia, said.

Of the more than 1,700 Indians living in the U.S. who responded to The New York Times questionnaire, a majority expressed excitement and hope about Modi's visit.

While many of the Indian diaspora typical give such a warm and enthusiastic welcome to any of the many Bollywood stars, the organizers wanted to highlight a different aspect of the culture and have refused any Bollywood talent at the event Sunday.

The hosts will be former Miss America Nina Davuluri and a PBS anchor Hari Sreenivasan. Other Indian-American talent at the event include Anjali Ranadivé, the daughter of Vivek Ranadivé, owner of the Sacramento Kings basketball team, who will sing the American national anthem, while L. Subramaniam, a violinist, and Kavita Krishnamurthy, a classical singer, will perform the Indian anthem.