Kamala Harris scripted history as the nation's first Black and South Asian Vice President and will be assuming the office of the Vice President of the United States on January 20.
However, a question that is one everyone's mind is whether or not the US Vice President-elect will wear a saree on Inauguration Day to invoke her Indian heritage. In the US, Inauguration Day is set for January 20 every four years. This year, it will fall on Wednesday.
During her campaign speech, Harris was asked by a member of the audience if she would wear a traditional Indian saree if she were elected. Back then, she had responded by saying, "Let's win first. My mother raised us with a very strong appreciation for our cultural background and pride. Celebrations that we all participate in regardless of how our last name is spelled. It's the beauty of who we are as a nation."
For the uninformed, Harris' mother, Shyamala Gopalan was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and had immigrated to the US. Her father is from Jamaica.
Some think that Harris wearing a saree could send an important message about how the Biden-Harris administration intends to better represent minorities.
Speaking about the same, fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra had told CNN, "I wouldn't be surprised if we see her show up to the inauguration ball in a beautifully woven Banarsi sari. I think she understands the power of that image."
A photograph of a young Harris sitting on a couch in a sari with her Indian grandparents has already been widely shared on social media. Speaking about the photo, Mohapatra who was born and raised in Odisha, India, said, "It immediately brought to me an instant connection to my South Asian roots, I've always seen (Harris) as a strong person with a dynamic career. I'd known of her accomplishments and the contributions she has made to our nation, but that image of her in a sari made her familiar to me. I felt like she could be a part of my family, or a good friend, talking to me in my kitchen."
