Modi’s main two engagements in Houston were addressing the NRI community at a stadium and a roundtable meeting with CEOs and top executives of US energy companies. Over 1,000 volunteers and 650 organizations had mobilized to make it possible. The Indian-Americans were very enthusiastic about PM Modi and US President Donald Trump as they jointly addressed a mega ‘Howdy, Modi’ rally, which they feel can take the bilateral ties to a new level. The entire city of Houston enjoyed the festivities and learned about Indian-Texan relations.
With the cultural program, the attendees experienced the vibrant expressions of people empowered by their identity and driven to enrich the communities around them. The cultural programme arranged preceding PM Modi’s address, showcasing Indian-American artists from Texas has portrayed how the community is woven into the larger tapestry of American life. It has also involved broad-based community participation across the United States.
The show had also lighted on unsung heroes in the Indian-American community who had undertaken selfless acts benefiting the broader American community without any need of recognition.
There is no doubt that this event is a unique moment in world history as the leaders of the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy shared a stage speaking to 50,000 Indian-Americans.
Indian Ambassador to the United States Harsh Vardhan Shringla has rightly described Howdy Modi as the “largest event” of its kind, adding that it is a bigger and momentous event as compared to all the previous overseas community events of PM Modi. The event was organized by non-profit Texas India Forum (TIF), a representative body of Indian-American organizations in Texas and other parts of the US. The message is very loud and clear that US and India are natural allies and this relationship will get stronger as time goes. It has created a great opportunity to emphasize the strong ties between the people of the United States and India and to discuss the ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship.
Today there are many in Houston who are Modi’s supporters and are very much attracted by the PM Modi’s attitude towards modernization, the environment and improving India’s economy. One would see that there are no other leaders like Modi and Trump who works for their country, love their country and for them the country comes first. The United States and India must work closely together to address the pressing issues that impact our nations, our countries, and the entire world too.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)