Modi, Mangoes, And Puppet Show: Usha Vance Reflects On Her Childrens' First India Visit
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Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington, DC, on Monday, Vance recounted her children's first experience in India.
US Second Lady Usha Vance recently reflected on her family's visit to India, describing it as a 'trip of a lifetime" for her children. Recalling their special moments, she shared that her children met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom they fondly placed in the 'grandfather category," expressing their affection by hugging him during their visit to his residence.
Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington, DC, on Monday, Vance recounted her children's first experience in India. She highlighted their visits to iconic sites in North India, including the Taj Mahal, and their delight in tasting authentic Indian cuisine.
Asked about her India visit, she said, 'It really was the trip of a lifetime for us. My children had never been to India, what with the pandemic and, JD's entry into politics and all that. And so they'd grown up just knowing so much about this country, the stories. food, the relationships with grandparents and friends, but they had never actually seen it. So it was just sort of mind-blowing from their perspective. And then for me and JD, I think it just could not have been any more special. We had the opportunity to see some of the greatest sites in North India. We're looking forward to our next trip and trying to get to the parts of the country where my family is from as well. And it just was sort of one hit after another, right. The most incredible food, the peacocks that we got to see, everywhere we went, getting to see the Taj Mahal in the morning and appreciate it as the sun was just sort of coming up and the cool skies and blue skies over in the background."
Usha Vance fondly recalled her children's first encounter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris, where he surprised her five-year-old son with a birthday gift. She described Modi as 'kind and generous" to her kids and mentioned that his discussions with her husband, US Vice President JD Vance, were 'productive." Reflecting on their visit to India, she also shared her experience of attending a puppet show that creatively incorporated elements from the Ramayana.
Usha Vance said, 'Meeting the Prime Minister, that was really very special. We actually had a chance to meet him before. And it's funny, my kids saw him. 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 really cemented his status by giving our five-year-old a birthday present that day. So, when we were able to visit his home, they just sort of ran up. They were hugging him. He was just incredibly kind and generous to them."
'I think it was very productive conversation for JD and the Prime Minister, of course. But also, think it was a real opportunity for us to kind of cement that personal relationship that they have, which I think is only to the good. And as you mentioned, there was a puppet show. That was a particular highlight with sort of puppeteering from all over the country, including from Andhra Pradesh, where my family is from. There were bits from the Ramayana. There were sort of comedic bits with animals, and it was a huge hit. My kids have been trying to recreate a home of construction paper, which is going about as well as you can imagine," she added.
Talking about her children's individual experiences, Usha Vance shared that her eldest son, Ewan, was particularly captivated by the temple sculptures, while her middle child, Vivek, was thrilled to see elephants, camels, and peacocks. Her daughter's favorite moment was a ride in an auto-rickshaw.
Talking about her children's experience in India, Vance said, 'I think JD has probably told the story at some point, but when we were at the Prime Minister's residence, our son was just so taken by everything and then taken by the entire cart of mangoes that was available for him to eat, that he announced to the Prime Minister that he thought he could maybe live there and started making his plans…And our children, they talk about it all the time actually. They've been all over the place and they've had wonderful opportunities to see the world, but this was really special to them. Ewan, our oldest, was really taken by the sculptures in the temple that he visited. He just thought it was incredible craftsmanship and of course showed things that he was very familiar with from stories and from talking with me."
'And then, Vivek, our middle child, was very excited to meet elephants and peacocks and a camel and just any animal that he could kind of get his hands on. And then our daughter thinks she's sort of along for the ride. She really enjoyed her time in an auto-rickshaw. That was maybe the highlight for her. The Secret Service was very generous and allowed us to kind of drive in an enclosed area for a few minutes. So we had lot of fun with that," she added.
JD Vance and his family embarked on a four-day official visit to India in April. During the trip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Vice President Vance and his family at his residence on Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
The visit was marked by several playful and memorable moments between PM Modi and the Vance children. From exploring the verdant lawns to curiously observing the bird feeder, the children were fully immersed in the experience at the Prime Minister's residence.
Inside, PM Modi shared lively interactions with Ewan, Vivek, and little Mirabel, presenting them with peacock feathers as a keepsake. A particularly heartwarming moment was captured when Mirabel, holding the feather, shared a tender scene with her father.
The Vance family's itinerary also included visits to iconic landmarks such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Amber Fort in Jaipur, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in New Delhi, and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, where they explored India's rich cultural heritage.
(With inputs from ANI)
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