Small Indian Village Celebrates Kamala Harris as Their Own

Photo: Reuters

Thulasendhrapuram Celebrates Kamala Harris’ Achievements

Thulasendhrapuram, a small village located about 300 kilometers from Chennai in southern India, and 14,000 kilometers from Washington DC, holds a special place in its heart for Kamala Harris. This village is where Harris' maternal grandparents originated. In honor of her remarkable achievements, the village center now proudly displays a large banner of the 59-year-old US Vice President.

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The villagers are actively celebrating Harris' success with a variety of traditional activities. Special prayers are being offered to the local deity for her continued success. Both Harris and her maternal grandfather’s names are listed as donors to the village temple. Additionally, sweets are being distributed among the villagers to mark this joyous occasion.

Local residents have been keenly following the US presidential race, particularly with Joe Biden's withdrawal and Harris' potential rise as the nominee. Krishnamurthi, a retired bank manager, expressed the village's pride, stating, “It is not an easy feat to be where she has reached in the most powerful country in the world. We are really proud of her. Once Indians were ruled by foreigners, now Indians are leading powerful nations.”

The sense of pride is especially strong among the women in the village, who view Harris as a symbol of empowerment and potential. Arulmozhi Sudhakar, a village local body representative, noted, “Everybody knows her, even the children. They refer to her as ‘My sister, my mother’. We are thrilled that she has not forgotten her roots and we are expressing our happiness.”

This pride and celebration echo the enthusiasm the villagers displayed when Harris became Vice President. At that time, the streets were filled with fireworks, posters, and calendars, and a communal feast featuring traditional South Indian dishes like sambar and idli—favorites of Harris—was enjoyed by hundreds.

Kamala Harris’ connection to Thulasendhrapuram runs deep. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a breast cancer researcher from Tamil Nadu who moved to the US in 1958. Gopalan's parents, who hailed from Thulasendhrapuram, were instrumental in shaping Harris' legacy. In a social media post last year, Harris reflected on her mother’s remarkable journey: “My mother, Shyamala, came to the US from India alone at 19. She was a force— a scientist, a civil rights activist, and a mother who infused a sense of pride in her two daughters.”

After their mother's death, Harris and her sister Maya visited Chennai to immerse her ashes in the sea, honoring Hindu traditions, as reported by The Hindu newspaper. Harris’ family is known for its high achievements. Her maternal uncle, Gopalan Balachandran, is an academic, while her grandfather, PV Gopalan, was an esteemed Indian bureaucrat and an expert on refugee resettlement. He also served as an advisor to Zambia’s first president in the 1960s.

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