It's been an eventful month in US politics ahead of the November 5 presidential elections. First, President Joe Biden came under severe criticism for what many described as an abysmal performance in the first presidential debate. And then, last Saturday, his Republican counterpart Donald Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania. The former president survived the attack with a minor injury on his ear.
As the world prepares for what's likely to be a neck-and-neck contest between the two candidates, there's another aspect of these elections worth taking note of - its India connection.
Four years ago, it was Kamala Harris, who created history when she became the US Vice President. This time, there's another individual with roots in India. It's Usha Vance, the wife of JD Vance, who is former President Donald Trump's running mate.
Kamala Harris traces her roots in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu where her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born. Ms Shyamala went to the US as a teenager to pursue a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she met Donald J. Harris, and the two got married in 1963. They had two daughters, Kamala Harris (born 1964) and Maya.
Meanwhile, Usha Chilukuri Vance was born to immigrant parents from Chilakaluripeta, Andhra Pradesh. She graduated from Yale University with a degree in History, then earned her M.Phil in Early Modern History from Columbia University, and a JD in Law from Yale Law School. She has worked in prestigious law firms and at the US Supreme Court as a legal clerk.
If Biden wins, Kamala Harris will continue her role as Vice President. However, if Trump and Vance emerge victorious, Usha Vance will become the Second Lady and will live at the Naval Observatory.
Recent polls show the popularity of candidates among US voters. According to YouGov, Kamala Harris is liked by 49 per cent of people, while only 28 per cent approve of JD Vance. The poll also shows that many Americans are still deciding what they think about Vance, who is still little-known in presidential politics.
A year ago, in July 2023, Republican and Indian-origin Hirsh Vardhan Singh announced his bid for the US President in 2024 against Donald Trump who was facing legal challenges. He had filed his candidacy and declared himself a "lifelong Republican" and "America First" conservative. He also referred to himself as the "only pureblood candidate" because he "never gave in to the COVID vaccinations."
