By: Narvijay Yadav
The video of US singer Mary Millben touching Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet during a grand public event held at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington DC has been trending in global media. Modi’s visit to the US provided us with several proud moments, but this event was a bit different. Mary sang the national anthem of India and then greeted the Prime Minister by touching his feet in a very emotional way, in full public view of a packed stadium. Obviously, her gesture towards Indian culture has touched the hearts of us Indians!
This event was even more special for me because I had the privilege of inviting Mary Millben to an Indian event for the first time in September 2020 when the whole world was battling with the lockdown and pandemic. As soon as the lockdown was announced in Chandigarh, I started a regular Twitter Chat, in which every week a public group chat was held with one or the other celebrity. Hundreds of people used to participate in this Twitter Chat that happened on Sundays at 6 pm. It was India’s first and longest-running Twitter Chat during the pandemic era.
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Mary Millben, the African-American Singer, became a social media sensation in August 2020 by singing India’s national anthem on Independence Day. That’s when I thought to invite her to our popular chat show held every week in collaboration with the Bloggers Alliance. Later, she gained more popularity by singing the ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’ aarti on the occasion of Diwali. Later, she also visited India as an official guest. She has a special respect for India, which is evident in her acts and words.
Meanwhile, Mary also participated in the 9th International Yoga Day program held at the United Nations on June 21st, where she was seen sitting next to Prime Minister Modi. Having sung America’s national anthem for three consecutive US presidents, i.e., President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, and President Donald Trump, she has become one of the world’s hottest new voices. Her shows have taken place at the White House, the US Congress, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and numerous concert halls around the world.
As you know, Indo-US relations are going to prove beneficial for our shared future. It is the friendship between the two superpowers that explains the growing strength of India. The next ten years are going to change the fate of India. We are fortunate to be witness to such an important time and change. Among the more than 30 agreements signed with the US in defense, technology, space, and healthcare sectors, the most important is the technology transfer agreement. Now India will be able to become a big player in the field of semiconductors, manufacturing, and defense. A few semiconductor plants will start here in a year. The made-in-India chip will hit the market next year. The US Company will train 60,000 Indian engineers. American warships will also be repaired in India. Both countries will jointly make jet engines. All such changes will be turned into reality soon. (The author is a senior journalist and columnist)
