Hindu-American Tulsi`s star shines at Democratic convention

Charlotte: Tulsi Gabbard, who appears all set to become the first Hindu-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives, received a big round of applause at the Democratic National Convention here when she took the stage to speak in favour of President Barack Obama.

In fact, Time Warner Cable Arena in this North Carolina township erupted into cheer and a big round of applause when she greeted thousands of her party colleagues with Aloha. "Aloha! I`m Tulsi Gabbard, candidate for Congress in Hawaii and a captain in the Army National Guard," she said amidst rounds of applause and cheer from the audience, in presence of Nancy Pelosi, the top party leader in the House of Representatives, and several other Democratic Congresswomen. The daughter of a Samoan Catholic father and white Hindu mother who moved from American Samoa to Hawaii when she was a child, Gabbard is a rising star in the Democratic Party. At the age of 21, she became the youngest person elected to the Hawaii Legislature. At 23, she was the state`s first elected official to voluntarily resign to go to war. At 28, she became the first woman to be presented with an award by the Kuwait Army National Guard. 31-year-old Gabbard, who won the Democratic primary from Hawaii last month, is now all set to win the seat as this is considered to be a party stronghold. "When I stepped down from the state legislature where I served and headed to a war zone, I joined a long, proud line of Americans who sacrifice to make us the land of the free and the home of the brave," Gabbard said. "As a combat veteran, I know the cost of war. The sacrifices made by our troops and military families are immeasurable," she said. "These days it`s often women in uniform: moms, wives, even grandmothers who deploy and leave their families behind. Such heroes and patriots need and deserve leaders who truly understand and care about their hardships and will fight for them," she argued. "Leaders like President (Barack Obama) and Michelle Obama and Vice President (Joe) Biden, the strongest advocates our military families could ever have," she said amidst another round of applause and cheer from the audience. "The Democratic women of the House standing here will honor the service and sacrifice of our troops to move America forward. Aloha; mahalo," Gabbard concluded her speech with another round of cheer and applause. PTI