 Good evening everyone. It's really a personal privilege as well as an honor to be here with each and every one of you When I didn't see the US in the first presentation I thought I might have to get up here and say Vashana town hall or words to that effect But wasn't that beautiful from East Texas the Texas? University a beautiful Mr. Ambassador, thank you so much for the invitation to be here this evening and honor to be here with the mr. Minister My friend is when he was former ambassador. I learned a lot from him and Congratulations to you on your new position And I'm as was mentioned by the ambassador earlier our support in Congress has always been Bipartisan so I'm so honored that the former chair of the armed the foreign affairs committee at Royce is here Chairwoman Ileana Ross Layton of Florida former chair and From a New York Joe Crowley of my Joe Crowley And I had the honor of traveling with with president Obama to India. We were there for a public day It was Savile's trip and a lot of yoga Nothing, but in the parade any other members here that I haven't seen please way We are out of session But we're not without of admiration for India and the important occasion this is and an honor for us to have it at the Library of Congress and the Distinguished service of the minister and the ambassador Make it easy for us to learn so more every day It's a pleasure to be with all of you as we observe the 150th birthday of Muhammad Gandhi at the same time as we observe the 90th birthday of someone who learned so much from him from a distance The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. These legacies of these two extraordinary men Men forever shaped our nations and changed the course of history in both of our countries and indeed in the world The relationship between the United States and India is a shining example of mutual cooperation prosperity and peace and Respect as the world's largest democracies yours the largest ours the oldest We have been partners in the fight to expand justice and ensure the blessings of liberty for all in America Generations of Americans of Indian descent have enriched our communities our democracy with their beautiful culture and rich traditions not to mention their entrepreneurship of fueling our economy our caucus our government has been strengthened by the leadership of Indian American members of Congress Senator Kamala Harris Representative Ami Berra who was on our trip with President Obama a Representative Pramila Jayapal representant Raja Krishnamurthy who was the lead author on one of those resolutions and Representative Ro Khanna about Ro Khanna. I could talk about all of them Ro particularly wanted you to know this story Ro Khanna's grandfather Who's lesson of Amarath Nath? Vidya Kankar probably okay was a champion for freedom who spent years in prison Alongside Gandhi in the quest for Indian independence today rep Khan I proudly honors his family's legacy of service and sacrifice in this and his work and leadership to build a better future for all But his connection is a direct one to Mahatma Gandhi as members of Congress We have been privileged to lead official visits going on official visits to India meet with leaders in exchange With citizens to strengthen the bonds of our friendship between our leadership But also among our people seeing the joy and vibrancy of the Indian people especially the children has always been an inspiration our 2017 trip was critical to advancing strong economic ties reaffirming our shared commitment to tackling the climate crisis and Securing peace in the region around the world and in New Delhi in 2008 was an honor to place a wreath at the Rajat Memorial Located at the site of the Gandhi cremation Gandhi's story of peaceful struggle to free the people of India had a meaningful impact from the lives of many Americans For me as the ambassador and the minister no one have referenced. This is very personal for me I have always since my childhood carried India in my heart largely because of Mahatma Gandhi when I was a little girl This is a very dignified occasion, but I'll tell you about it when I was a little girl I went into school one day and I had on a hat and one of the big tall nuns I was a little girl said who do you think you are Mahatma Gandhi with that hat? Well, I didn't know who Mahatma Gandhi was But I wasn't gonna let on to her that I did not know so immediately went to the library after school and and at that time Even that was like in the 50s. They Library had books on Mahatma Gandhi for children already Already had books for children. Oh my god. So that's when I started absorbing everything I could and more shall we say The bigger books smaller print that's like that older and people would always say we always know you'll have every book out of the Library on Gandhi such an inspiration But it is some around that same time Martin Luther King whose birthday we celebrate 90th today and Chris got visited visited India at how much We draw upon India and who we are As you probably know when I say it again probably mispronouncing Satya Graha That word has two meanings and Sanskrit Non-violence and insistence on the truth and Isn't that exactly what Gandhi took from India? non-violent insisting on the truth Learning from the experience and the depth of strength of that message not just the example the strength of that message of Mahatma Gandhi and of course it made all the difference in the world in our country So that is a debt that we owe to India for that inspiration More than an inspiration that strength of of message to make a difference in our own country Though he knew it would mean sacrifice and struggle Dr. King would insist on the truth in the heart of our nation They're all that were all created equal and that to do so insisting on the truth Non-violently Dr. King insisted on the truth at lunch counters marches and like Gandhi from Dale House cells He insisted on the truth of his dream of equality and opportunity for all regardless of race gender or creed as we face the great Injustices of war inequality oppression and tyranny We all have an obligation to continue to answer dr. King and Gandhi's insistence on the truth non-violently with action We're called to act to give voice to millions of refugees fleeing violence and natural disaster and ensure that we honor the dignity and worth of every person man woman and child. I'm especially grateful as I have expressed to Prime Minister Sun, Prime Minister Modi as well, Mr. Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Minister, when he was ambassador How much we all so many of us appreciate the hospitality that India Extends to his holiness the Dalai Lama and when I've mentioned When we mentioned that to The Prime Minister and the previous Prime Minister, they've always said you don't need to thank us. That's who we are That beautiful beautiful respect for the dignity and worth of every person. The Minister and the Ambassador, the Minister especially, talked about the climate crisis and the commitment that the Prime Minister Modi has to that And I was there in Paris and saw that Agreement come together and you will agree, Mr. Minister, it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy But it was done and when Prime Minister Came to Congress for a joint session of Congress Ambassador it was there when we met with him the leadership met with him before the speech and I mentioned about Climate crisis and that and thank you for your leadership. He talked about Mahatma Gandhi and the environment Remember he told us about whether it was water or conservation or whatever it is Gandhi Understood the worth the respect we had to have for nature all that long time ago So as you have said both of you so brilliantly What we Gandhi do now pretty he would be a leader in this important challenge To God's creation our planet We're called to fight this fight, which is the existential threat of our time really Jeopardize the health security and future of our children and our grandchildren We're called to act and stand firm against malign actors seeking to destabilize our democracy in our free and fair elections at the same time of With this time of challenge and opportunity we must act drawing the strength and Inspiration for Dr. King and Gandhi's example Just as the torch passed from Gandhi to dr. King the torch now belongs to all of us 150 years after Gandhi's birth and 90 years after dr. King was born We must now pass the torch to millions of young Courageous people across the globe who are blazing a trail toward a more just and equal world for all It is our responsibility to support them and empower them in this critical mission to build a future worthy of Dr. King worthy of the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi So it is for our colleagues, and I know I speak from bipartisan way for our colleagues house and Senate who weren't here because we're out of session that observing Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birthday at the same time as we observed Martin Luther King's birthday on The campus of the US Capitol is for us a thrilling experience We're out of session, but I told the ambassador when he told me about this And no matter where I am no matter what it when it is Because of that little girl in that school Learning about Mahatma Gandhi. It would be a thrill of my life to be there To honor the memory and the legacy the leadership the strength the inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi Thank you all very much