BAPS has more than 100 centres across the US and it has been involved in major charity work and social service.

''I want to highlight BAPS Charities, a Hindu-American organization that has turned its temples into vaccination centres,'' Murthy told reporters at a White House news conference on Friday.

''For elderly members of these temples, it's been easier to get vaccinated at their own temple surrounded by trusted friends in familiar settings than it may have been for some of them to get vaccinated at an unfamiliar location,'' Murthy said.