Five Indian Americans Couples Among High-profile Celebrities at White House State Dinner for Prime Minister of Japan

Five Indian American couples were among distinguished guests who attended state dinner in the East Room of the White House White House on April 10 hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Yuko Kishida.

The guest list of ambassadors, billionaires, and high-profile celebrities included World Bank Group president Ajay Banga and his wife Ritu Banga; Micron president and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and his wife Sangeeta Mehrotra, special assistant to the President Pranay Vaddi and his wife Megan Vaddi; IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and his wife Sonia Krishna; and former U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma and his wife Zoe Verma.

High-profile attendees like Vice President Kamala Harris and First Gentleman Doug Emoff, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos graced the evening.

The black-tie dinner aimed at “intertwining and highlighting American and Japanese cultures as President Joe Biden seeks to emphasize the strong alliance between the two countries,” according to CNN. “Guests arrived at a grand entrance decorated with oversized, colorful fans — a symbol of life and the many paths life can take,” CNN reported, citing the office of the first lady.

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Cherry blossoms were the theme of the evening. They were seen on some of the guests dresses, in the food, on tablecloths, and centerpieces. The springtime color scheme was pastels: pinks, periwinkles and lavenders. The flower arrangements included Jill Biden’s favorites: peonies, roses and hydrangeas. Even the floor was transformed into a vinyl river of spring blossoms and gold-dappled koi fish — a symbol of “friendship, peace, luck and perseverance,” the first lady said earlier.

The food featured rib-eye steak and a California roll-inspired dish. It was served on “china plates featuring a floral pattern designed by Lady Bird Johnson and Tiffany & Company, as well as ones bearing green lattice patterns designed by Laura Bush, ‘The New York Times reported.  The after-dinner entertainment was singer Paul Simon, a favorite of both Jill Biden and the Japanese prime minister.