US envoy wears saree for I-Day, At Home

Soaked in the spirit of India, US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi MaryKay Carlson today wore a Kanjeevaram saree for the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and said "America is proud" to be a partner of this democratic country.
The American envoy took to Twitter to greet Indians on the 71st Independence Day and even wrote a line in Hindi, underlining the Indo-US cultural ties.
In a video message shared on social media, Carlson quoted first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's famous 'Tryst With Destiny' speech of 1947 and said, "70 years later India's democracy is going strong and the US is proud to be its partner."

"Here's to at least another 70 years of US-India dosti," she said.
Earlier this month, the American diplomat had visited the Khadi Viliage Industries Association (KVIC) outlet in Connaught Place area, and picked up a few sarees for the August 15 celebrations.
"I had put up a social media poll on the four sarees I had chosen and Kanjeevaram won overwhelmingly. So, I wore that to Independence Day celebrations," she said.

Her other choices were Tassar, Dupion and Jamdani. She chose the Kanjeevaram for attending celebrations at the Red Fort in the morning where a host of other foreign dignitaries were also present.

In a series of tweets in the evening, she shared that she was wearing a Tassar saree for the 'At Home' event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She later also shared a picture of her in the Tassar saree while she exchanged greetings with President Ram Nath Kovind.
Tassar, she said, had finished second on the Twitter saree poll.
Carlson, who wore this Indian attire for the first time, said ever since she arrived in Delhi, she was "enchanted" by sarees but didn't know much about them.
The diplomat said it was its sartorial quality and the regional variety that prompted her to choose a saree for the occasion.

From Pakistan, Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah and wife Palwasha Haider attended the grand event. Defence advisor, Air attache and Naval attache at the High Commission also attended.