Inauguration Day, Jan 20th, 2020

Today I woke up with an immense sense of gratitude and pleasure.

My saree is a tribute today to every mother who works hard to show her daughter that everything is possible in this world. To remind her daughter that it’s all worth the struggles a mother has to go through so that her daughter can lead , to show that women are capable of leading a nation too.

The saree is a reminder that a mother has to believe in her daughter and give her the tools to take on the world.

I am wearing a saree not to celebrate the ethnicity of our new VP but to pay tribute to her mother who gave her the wings.

This morning I cannot stop thinking of the mom who at the age of 19, in 1958 left her homeland to come to America to pursue a dream. I cannot even imagine how she survived. I can see how “the move forward thinking” shaped her daughters and today we are in a way acknowledging that finally we are ready to heal and move forward as a Nation.

Today is the day - “ dream and work hard - that how they became reality” kind of day. For me, for every women here in USA, for every person who dared to dream big for their kid and teach them to achieve what they hope for.

Today our Ms Vice President is a leader of a divided nation. Let’s not worry about her color, race and ethnicity, instead help her focus on the bigger picture. We have plenty of time to talk about that.

So today Ms Vice President, I stand behind you - not because you are of Indian origin or a woman of color or from a specific party, today I am here to celebrate you for being the woman in the highest office of this nation and showing the world that we are ready to believe in “equal”.

I am wearing my saree because it makes me feel proud, strong, passionate, hopeful and a believer. I am sure your mother must be feeling the same wherever she is.

A saree from my mother’s treasure.. I wore this in 2015 for my graduation.(Ajey graduated the same day) Amma, in a way, showed us sisters that a woman is capable of dreaming and achieving what she works for, Putting the best foot forward and standing for what you believe in with a pride.