Joe Biden's presidential inauguration: As Indian as it can get!
Set to take office as the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony is just a few hours away. However, the transition has turned out to be a minefield for the new administration.
Managing safety protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic, Donald Trump's reluctance to concede defeat and the January 6 mob attack at the US Capitol by pro-Trump supporters -- there was a lot to grapple with ahead of the 59th inauguration.
The ceremony will be a proud occasion for Indian Americans, with members from the community of just around 4 million set to play a key role -- on centre stage and behind the scenes.
Here's the lowdown on them...
Kamala Harris: Vice-President elect of the United States
For the first time ever, a woman, Kamala Harris, will be sworn in as the vice president of the United States. 56-year-old Harris is also the first-ever Indian-origin and African American to be sworn in as the US vice president.
Harris was born to two immigrant parents: a black father and an Indian mother.
Her father, Donald Harris, was from Jamaica, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist from Chennai.
As per inputs from Associated Press, the villagers of Thulasendrapuram, the ancestral village of Kamala Harris, are preparing for a celebration on Wednesday. They have organised a special puja at Sri Dharma Sastha temple at the village in Tiruvarur district.
Maju Varghese: Executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee
Any event needs an organiser and if it's for the 46th president of United States, it's safe to assume that it could involve some sleepless nights.
For this onerous task, Biden has picked 43-year-old Maju Varghese as the Executive Director.
Having roots in Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Varghese has been organising activities surrounding the Biden-Harris swearing-in ceremony.
"Humbled and proud to serve on Biden Inaugural. It won't be easy but being able to help plan the swearing in of an American President, when your parents grew up on the other side of the world, is an honour. Hope to do Joe Biden, this team, my family and this country proud," Varghese wrote on Twitter.
The team also includes Tony Allen as the Chief Executive Officer, Erin Wilson as the Deputy Executive Director and Yvanna Cancela as its Deputy Executive Director.
Vinay Reddy: Joe Biden's speechwriter for his inaugural address
The US constitution demands that a president must take the oath of office before the start of his or her term. George Washington set the precedent for taking oath of office before a crowd in New York back in 1789.
Now, Joe Biden is set to do the same.
But what makes this speech so special? For the first time, it is being written by an Indian American. Biden has selected Vinay Reddy as his speechwriter for the inaugural address.
Reddy, raised in Dayton, Ohio, was also the chief speech writer to Biden during his second term as the vice president of the US from 2013 to 2017.
Reddy is the first ever Indian American to be appointed as a presidential speechwriter.
Biden's "remarks will be a forward-looking vision for his presidency while addressing the moment we are living in as a country. The speech is built around the theme of unity," said advisors.
(Inputs from ENS, PTI)