US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has expressed pride over her Indian ancestry and said one did not need to give up being an Indian to be American.
“I am a proud daughter of Indian parents,” said Haley, who paid a visit to the Indian Embassy in the US on Wednesday and met Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna.
The senior diplomat in the Trump administration also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said President Donald Trump has always attached huge importance to US' bilateral ties with India and hoped to take them to a new level.
Earlier, Sarna admired Haley for her “personal determination” and said, “You have understood the dynamics of the UN”.
He also appreciated Haley for not forgetting her roots and said her journey was a source of inspiration.
RT @USUN: Thank you to Ambassador @NavtejSarna and Dr. Sarna for hosting us at their home in DC. We had a great discussion with business and academic leaders about the contributions of Indian Americans to our country as well as the importance of the US-India relationship. pic.twitter.com/TM4VYYgYxs
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) February 1, 2018
Haley was born as Nimrata Randhawa in Bamberg, South Carolina, on January 20, 1972 to an Indian American Sikh family who had emigrated from Punjab's Amritsar district.
Honoured to host Amb @nikkihaley at Embassy residence yesterday along with influential figures from Indian American community @SushmaSwaraj @IndianDiplomacy @AkbaruddinIndia @IndianEmbassyUS pic.twitter.com/rgd7rqYhln
— Navtej Sarna (@NavtejSarna) January 31, 2018