US Senator JD Vance, who Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump chose as his running mate, has credited his Hindu wife Usha Chilukuri Vance for shaping his personal and spiritual life.
In an interview with Fox News, he explained how his Indian-origin wife's Hindu faith had been instrumental in helping him navigate challenges and reconcile his Catholic beliefs.
He revealed he "was raised Christian but never baptised."
"I was first baptised in 2018. Usha was actually raised non-Christian. But I remember when I started to re-engage with my faith, Usha was very supportive," said the 38-year-old.
The couple met at Yale Law School and married in Kentucky in 2014.
They had two ceremonies - a traditional wedding ceremony and a separate Hindu ceremony conducted by a Hindu priest, honouring Usha's Hindu heritage. They have three children - Ewan, 6, Vivek, 4, and Mirabel, 2.
Usha, reflecting on her upbringing in a "religious household", attributed her support for Vance's religious journey to her parents' influence. "My parents are Hindu and that's one of the things that made them such good parents and good people. And I have seen the power of that in my own life," said Usha. "And I knew that JD was searching for something. This just felt right for him," she added.
Asked how they raise their children, given their different religious backgrounds, Usha stressed the importance of communication. "We just talk a lot," she said, stating there are certain values and principles that she and Vance "simply agree on" family matters.
Usha Chilukuri Vance is a lawyer, as per her LinkedIn profile. She was raised in a San Diego suburb and attended Mt. Carmel High School. She graduated with a BA in history from Yale University in 2007.
She later pursued further studies at the University of Cambridge, earning an MPhil in 2009 as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. She worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. She was a Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of the US and the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She also worked as a Summer Associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP.
JD Vance has often credited Usha for her support in his success. During a 2020 interview with The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance described his wife as a "powerful female voice" guiding him. "Usha definitely brings me back to earth. If I get a little too cocky or a little too proud, I remind myself that she's way more accomplished than I," he said back then.
