“Immigration was a huge force in changing my outlook. I moved to Americ...” — Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Quote

“Immigration was a huge force in changing my outlook. I moved to America 30 years ago. I had to reassess my beliefs, especially about women's roles.”

“I hate it when people throw away food - I've seen too many hungry people.”

“I work very hard at creating complex characters, a mix of positives and negatives. They are all flawed. I believe flaws are almost universal, and they help us understand, sympathise and, paradoxically, feel closer to such characters.”

“I had friends who died in the 9/11 tragedy; some of my friends lost family members in the aftermath of Godhra.”

“I was very fortunate that all my holidays I'd spend with my grandfather, experiencing a much more traditional way of life and listening to these wonderful stories, which I now feel are such an important part of Indian thinking.”

“Studying my grandfather's life and legacy has shown me what it takes to be a good public servant. Curiosity. Compassion for others. Humility. Determination to stand tall for your beliefs in the face of opposition. No one believed these things more than my grandfather.”

“The Constitution is man-made, so it is not perfect. It's not the basis of my beliefs. My belief system is based on the Scriptures which come from God.”

“I'm a good liberal, and I grew up in a very liberal family and had very strongly held beliefs.”

“It's a struggle for anybody to take their paradigms and set of beliefs and understandings and completely flip the script.”

“We can trust our doctors to be professional, to minister equally to their patients without regard to their political or religious beliefs. But we can no longer trust our professors to do the same.”

“I love this country and I am very vocal about my thoughts and beliefs. America is the greatest nation on the planet!”