India visit was trip of our lifetime; my children just love PM Modi: US Second Lady Usha Vance
Washington/New Delhi, June 3 (UNI) US Second Lady Usha Vance described her visit to India in April with her husband and children as 'the trip of a lifetime', and also that her three children have bonded closely with PM Modi, placing him in the 'grandfather category'.
In a chat with USISPF Chairman John Chambers on Monday in Washington at the 2025 US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the US Second Lady, who is of Indian origin, was asked to describe their visit to India and meeting with PM Modi:
'It was the trip of our lifetime for us. My children had never been to India', due to the pandemic and JD Vance's entry into politics.
'They've grown up knowing so much about this country, the stories, the food, the relationships with grandparents and friends,' she said of their children, sons Vivek and Ewan, and daughter Mirabel.
'But they'd never actually seen it, so it was just mind-blowing from their perspective; but for me and JD, I think, it could not have been any more special.'
'We had the opportunity to see some of the greatest sights in north India,' she said of their visit to the Taj Mahal and to Rajasthan. She added that they will visit southern India, and especially Andhra Pradesh where her family comes from, during her next visit.
She described the food and sights as 'just incredible'. 'It was just one head after another, just incredible food, the peacocks that we got to see, we saw the Taj Mahal in the morning, just when the sun was coming up.'
'And of course, meeting the prime minister -- that was very, very special.'
'We'd actually the chance to meet him before,' she said, referring to their meeting in Paris in
February, when PM Modi had given the children presents, especially Vivek who had his birthday then.
Describing the meeting between PM Modi and the children, she said:
'And it's funny, my kids saw him and they were sort of sleep-deprived in Paris, and they saw an Indian man with a white beard and white hair, and they just put him in the grandfather category immediately.
'They are very into him, they just love him.'
'And he has really cemented his status by giving fabulous presents to them.'
'And so, when we were visiting his home, they sort of just ran up to him and were hugging him.'
'He was just incredibly kind and generous to them,' she added.
'I think it was a very productive conversation with the Indian PM of course, but I think it was a real opportunity for us snap up a personal relationship at that,' she added.
The PM had organised a puppet show at his Lok Nayak official residence for the US Vice President and his family, during their April 21 visit.
Asked about it, Usha Vance said: 'There was a puppet show, that was a particular highlight where puppeteers from all over the country, including Andhra Pradesh where my family is from', presented a show.
The US Second Couple and family were on a four-day visit to India. In Delhi they had visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple.
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