New Delhi/Washington: Former US Vice President Joe Biden is set take oath as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, January 20. While 78-year-old Biden will be the oldest US President, Indian American Kamala Harris will make history as the first Black and South Asian woman to be the Vice President.

The theme of the Biden-Harris inauguration ceremony is “America United”. However, unlike other years when the inauguration day event is thronged by people, this year the ceremony will be different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around just a thousand people are expected to attend the presidential inaugural ceremony, most of whom will be members of the Congress and their guests.

While outgoing President Donald Trump will not attend the Biden inauguration and Vice President Mike Pence will attend the ceremony.

Here is the complete schedule of Biden Inauguration Day 2021 including timings in India:

  • Around 8.30 pm IST (10 am EST), the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) will start by hosting the first ever curated livestream for young Americans before and during the inaugural ceremonies.
  • The livestream will be hosted by award winning entertained and advocate Keke Palmer.
  • The livestream will feature a special message from incoming First Lady Jill Biden and a commentary from leading historians.
  • The inaugural ceremony will begin with the American national anthem and invocation around 10 pm in India (11.30 Eastern Time)
  • US President-elect Joseph R Biden will be sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts on the US Capitol’s West Front as per tradition. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
  • After Joe Biden takes oath as US President, he will then deliver his inaugural address.
  • The newly sworn-in US President will then move to the Capitol’s East Front for ‘Pass in Review’, which is a longstanding tradition where the new President assesses the military troops.
  • Following this, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and former US President Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton along with their wives will travel together to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
  • Before an evening of virtual activities, Joe Biden will receive a military escort from 15th Street to the White House with every branch of military represented.
  • After the conclusion of the official ceremony, there will be a 90-minute-long bonus celebration called “Celebrating America” which will be hosted by actor Tom Hanks.

Lineup of performances:

Here’s the celebrity lineup of the swearing-in ceremony:

  • Lady Gaga will perform the National Anthem, while Jennifer Lopez will deliver a separate musical performance during the ceremony.
  • Amanda Gorman, who was named the country’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate, will deliver a poetry reading.
  • Andrea Hall, the president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3920, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
  • Longtime friends of the Biden family Father Leo J O’Donovan and Wilmington-based Reverend Dr Silvester Beaman will deliver the invocation and benediction, respectively.
  • The primetime special hosted by Tom Hanks will feature performances by Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake and Jon Bon Jovi.

Where and how to watch livestream of Biden inauguration ceremony in India:

  • Along with airing the event Live on all TV news channels, all major American broadcasters will livestream the event on their social media platforms.
  • The inauguration day even will also be live streamed on bideninaugural.org/watch as well as on PIC social media handles.