COVID: Hollywood singer sends video message to Biden to help India

Applauding Biden for prioritising Americans in the coronavirus vaccination distribution, Milben, who is a big fan of Indian culture and its people, said the US is headed to better days, “but in India the days worsen”. 

“Mr. President, today, America is in full capability to help India. Thank you for lifting the ban on raw materials. Good first steps. But, we can do more. We can send vaccinations to India. Initiate public-private partnerships – just as done under Operation Warp Speed last year, to bring vaccinations to Americans. Have courage, Mr President. Let’s help India,” Milben said in a video released on Sunday. 

“Namaste. One of my go-to weekly readings is President John F. Kennedy’s Harvard dissertation ‘Profiles in Courage,’ which challenges us all to moments of courage. To do what’s right. So today is my Profiles in Courage moment. Mr. President, let me start by saying I support you as my Commander-in-Chief. I want you to succeed. Because if you succeed, America succeeds. And if America succeeds, the world benefits,” she said. 

“Mr. President, I recognise my voice may not matter to you. I am just a small-town girl from the Midwest given a platform to sing for US Presidents, world leaders, and humanity. So, my voice may not matter to you. But my voice does matter to 1.4 billion people in India and 4 million Indian Americans, and so on their behalf, I appeal to you,” Millben said. 

She said India is America’s strongest and largest democratic ally and it is time to help it. 

“ At the end of the day, Mr. President, just like you said on the campaign trail and now regularly in the Oval Office, we are all one family and America always helps its friends. Mr. President, I have faith in you. Your Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I have full faith in you. It is time to raise our voices and prayers, America. For India,” Millben said. 

Millben has shared her voice, both on and off stage, with three consecutive US presidents (President George W Bush, President Barack Obama, and President Trump), and on both sides of the political aisle in Washington, DC. Prior to becoming a professional singer, she served as a White House presidential appointee in the Bush 43 administration.