By way of the India Post comes news that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich plans to visit India “early next year.”

The source says,

Blagojevich was a guest speaker at the dinner reception hosted by two prominent Indian Americans – Niranjan Shah and Pralhad Patil- in honor of visiting Chief Minister of Indian state of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Dehmukh, at Gaylord India restaurant in Chicago Downtown.

The Chief Minister reported that his state had grown 7% per year for a decade. He introduced Blagojevich as “the first Indian American governor” because of his good relationship to India and Indian Americans. Blagojevich joined the Indiana Caucus in Congress.

Also attending the meeting of 150 was Congresswoman Melissa Bean.

Maharashtra is in west central India.