Indian-American Nikki Haley among star speakers at Republican convention

Nikki Haley, popular Indian-American Republican politician and former US envoy to the UN, will be among the star speakers on the first day of the Republican National Convention which begins on Monday, according to a list released by the Trump campaign. The four-day RNC will formally nominate 77-year-old incumbent President Donald Trump as the party's candidate for the November 3 US presidential election.

Haley, 48, the two-term Governor of South Carolina, is the only Indian-American leader to be featured in the list of RNC speakers released by the Trump campaign on Sunday. She is considered as one of the potential presidential candidates of the Republican Party post the Trump era. The former US envoy to the UN is close to the Trump family and plans to campaign aggressively in his re-election bid over the next several weeks.

In a statement, the Trump campaign said: "Over four nights, President Trump's 2020 Convention will honour the great American story, the American people that have written it, and how President Donald J Trump's 'Make America Great Again' agenda has empowered them to succeed”. The president's son Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle, an attorney and television news personality, are among the other star speakers on day one of the RNC.

The Republican convention, which would conclude with Trump delivering his acceptance speech from the South Lawn of the White House on August 27, would be mostly in virtual mode, just like the rival Democratic National Convention, which was held from August 17 to 20.

Vice President Mike Pence, 61, will also be re-nominated as Trump's running mate during the convention. Trump's acceptance speech would be preceded by speeches of top Republican leaders like Ben Carson, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Tom Cotton, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the president's daughter Ivanka Trump among others.

Vice President Pence will deliver his acceptance speech on Wednesday. Among speakers listed for Wednesday night are Second Lady Karen Pence, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Joni Ernst, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Congressmen Dan Crenshaw, Elise Stefanik, Lee Zeldin; and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell.

Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump and his top advisor Kellyanne Conway are among those featured as the speakers on day three of the convention. But Conway announced on Sunday that she will leave her post at the end of the month. Thus it is unclear if she will still speak at the convention, US media reports said.

The First Lady, Melania Trump, would address the convention on Wednesday from the Rose Garden of the White House. This is another first in the history of US presidential elections. The key speakers on the second day of the convention include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senator Rand Paul, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Trump’s son Eric and daughter Tiffany will also address the convention on August 25, along with other featured speakers like Abby Johnson, Jason Joyce, Myron Lizer, Mary Ann Mendoza, Megan Pauley, Cris Peterson, John Peterson and Nicholas Sandmann.

Prominent African-American Hollywood actress and singer Mary Millben will sing the national anthem on Monday for the opening of the Republican National Committee Convention leading to the formal re-nomination of President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence.

Recently, 38-year-old Millben, who is also a Helen Hayes Award nominee, greeted India on its 74th Independence Day on August 15 with a melodious rendering of India's national anthem. Her virtual performance, with music arranged by Grammy-nominated composer Daryl Bennett and film executive producer Teodor Vladimirov, for India's 74th Independence Day received global acclaim and has been viewed by millions.  

(Image Credits: AP)