African-American singer Mary Milben, who is known for her moving rendition of ‘Om jai jagadish hare’ and ‘Jana gana mana’, is travelling to India to attend the celebrations related to the country’s 75th anniversary of Independence. “Following in the footsteps of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and his pilgrimage to India in 1959, I am honoured to represent the United States as a cultural ambassador for the 75th Anniversary celebration of India’s Independence,” Millben said in a statement ahead of her trip at the invitation of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Millben is the first American artiste to be invited to India by the ICCR for the Independence Day celebrations. She will be an official guest representing the US, the statement said. “I am thrilled to finally experience this treasured motherland, celebrate my meaningful relationship with India and Indian communities across the world, and highlight the important democratic alliance between the United States and India during this important observance of India’s Independence,” said Millben.