"Madras is my Major Political Influence..." - Kamala Harris Opens up on her Indian Roots!

Democratic nominee Joe Biden recently announced Kamala Harris, California Senator as his vice- presidential running mate for the 2020 presidential election. She is the first black and Indian- American woman chosen for the role. Mr. Biden will face President Donald Trump in the election on 3 November.

Many people saw this as an unprecedented move since some Democrats felt Kamala is not a team player. However, according to experts she was still shortlisted by Biden due to her record as a prosecutor and Senator. 

“For some, Harris’ record as California Attorney General that purportedly was unsympathetic to the black community was a problem. Others argued that a candidate from a swing state would have strengthened Biden’s hands.

Biden and Harris are expected to make an appearance together in Delaware on Wednesday to president a united front,” Times of India reported. 

Although she considers herself a black woman, she has spoken about her Indian roots in multiple occasions wherein she spoke about the visits to Chennai and also about her grandfather who was a civil servant working for the government of India. 

Shyamala Gopalan, Kamala Harris’ mother was a breast researcher who came to the US in 1960 in order to pursue a doctorate in endocrinology at US Berkeley. She met her husband Donald Harris, a Jamaican who was studying economics at UC Berkeley. Her sister, Maya Harris is also a political activist and was actively working in the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. 

Although Biden’s choice was not driven by her Indian roots, it is a major advantage since she can gain support from a significant number of Indian voters, especially Indian- Americans who are among the best-educated and highest-earning ethnic group. Experts believe that her mixed heritage has enabled her to have a wider appeal and reach multiple audiences. This announcement also serves as an impactful counter narrative to Trump administration’s anti- immigrant stance and policies. 

While talking about her Indian roots to the chief correspondent of India Abroad on August 26, 2009, she said, “My mother was very proud of her Indian heritage and taught us, me and my sister Maya, to share in the pride about our culture. We used to go back to India every couple of years. One of the most influential people in my life. in addition to my mother, was my grandfather P.V. Gopalan, was one of the original Independence fighters in India, and some of my fondest memories from childhood were walking along the beach with him after he retired and lived in Besant Nagar, in what was then called Madras.”

While talking about her fondest memories with her grandfather, she elaborates how he played an important role in shaping her perception about few things. “He would take walks every morning along the beach with his buddies who were all retired government officials and they would talk about politics, about how corruption must be fought and about justice. They would laugh and voice opinions and argue, and those conversations, even more than their actions, had such a strong influence on me in terms in terms of learning to be responsible, to be honest, and to have integrity. When we think about it, India is the oldest democracy in the world -- so that is part of my background, and without question has had a great deal of influence on what I do today and who I am,” she stated.

"There are a lot of Indian-American voters in this country, including in states that appear to be in play," noted George Conway, American attorney who is a Never-Trumper. "Maybe he will pose for a chicken tikka masala taco bowl pic," he added.