US VP Kamala Harris recollects fond memories of celebrating Diwali in India: 'We would...'

New Delhi: US Vice President Kamala Harris, the first-ever Indian-origin person to hold the post, on Monday (October 24, 2022) recollected her frequent visits to Chennai as a child and celebrating Diwali with her grandparents. Addressing a gathering of more than 200 eminent Indian Americans at a White House Diwali reception hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Harris said that she has such "fond memories" of celebrating Diwali as a child. 

"I have such fond memories of celebrating Diwali as a child. Like many of you, we would go to India about every other year, avoiding the monsoon season, and we would go for Diwali. I have such fond memories of waking up in the middle of the night, me and my sister Maya, and going, of course, to the eldest in our family, which was our grandfather.

"And later in the day, my mother would give us little sparklers and we would go into the streets to celebrate this very important occasion," she recalled.

To everyone celebrating the Festival of Lights here in the United States and around the world, happy Diwali! pic.twitter.com/0DPlOaqhMO — Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 24, 2022

Describing Diwali a "holiday of hope", she said the festival helps one to see light in the world, in each other and in oneself. 

"We also are reminded to shine our light in the darkness to fight for peace, for justice, for understanding."

"Even as powerful forces work to sow hate and divide, we remember that in these moments where we see darkness, our light shines the brightest. That is part of what reminds us of Diwali. In moments of darkness, we see the light," she added.

Happening Now: President Biden and the First Lady host a reception to celebrate Diwali. https://t.co/0I8H2QDkja — The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 24, 2022

On the occasion, Harris called on the people to realise the ideals of freedom, democracy and equality.

Earlier, Joe Biden also wished a happy Diwali to the "more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating this Festival of Lights" in the United States, India, and around the world. 

"As we host the official White House Diwali reception, we are honored to light the diya surrounded by members of the most diverse Administration in American history—led by Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black American and South Asian American to become Vice President," he said.

In celebration of the Festival of Lights, President Biden and the First Lady hosted a Diwali reception at the White House. pic.twitter.com/3kGqCgEebK — The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 25, 2022

"On this day, we give thanks for the optimism, courage, and empathy demonstrated by the incredible South Asian community all across America. Together, South Asian Americans reflect the soul of who we are as a nation, whether helping us emerge stronger from this pandemic, building an economy that works for everyone, or serving and protecting our communities and our country.

"But, even as we celebrate this gathering of light, we know—as this community has experienced too often—that there is always darkness lurking. American history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh reality that we have never fully lived up to it. By marking the victory of light over darkness, Diwali is a reminder that each of us has the power to bring light to the world, whether here in America or around the world," he added.