Indian American writer, producer, director and actor Mindy Kaling created history by becoming the first South Asian woman to receive a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Invoking her Hindu roots during her acceptance speech in Los Angeles, Kaling said: โIโm Hindu and we practice cremation, which is a beautiful tradition that my ancestors have done for thousands of years.โ
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โAnd so will I. But also Iโm obsessed with legacy. So sometimes I get disappointed that I wonโt have a grave. But this, this is so much better than a grave,โ the 45-year-old joked.
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She thanked her fans and the audience โwho got me here, who believed in me enough to think that I actually was a star, or pick up my book of essays and wonder whatโs on my mind.โ
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Kaling was surrounded by her peers and close friends, including ex-boyfriend BJ Novak, also 45.
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Kaling gushed about Novak, saying, “He’s such an important and integral part of my family… Sometimes I forget that the reason that I know him is because we worked together professionally.”
Kaling and Novak met in 2004 on the set of ‘The Office’ and dated on and off until 2007.
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Despite their past romantic relationship, the two have maintained a close and amicable relationship, with Novak even serving as the “godparent” to Kaling’s three children.
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Novak spoke at Kaling’s induction ceremony, praising her for her many accomplishments, including being a “brilliant and wildly successful showrunner,” an “incredible mother of three,” and a “deep and caring daughter and friend and mentor to so many,” according to Page Six.
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He jokingly added that Kaling was also “very superficial” in her “spare time.”
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Kaling’s children, Katherine Swati, 7, Anne, 1, and Spencer Avu, 4, were not present at the ceremony, but Novak’s role as their godparent has sparked speculation about whether he is also their father.
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However, Kaling has consistently denied these rumours, stating that she will not reveal the identity of her children’s father until she discusses it with them.