Back home, Indians were rooting for Kamala Harris

NEW DELHI: Gopalan Balachandran was sure that Kamala Harris would make it to the second-highest office of the US.

Balachandran, the maternal uncle of the vice president-elect, told ET on Sunday that he had spoken to Harris a day before. "... given the numbers, I told Kamala that she is going to win."

Balachandran, who lives in Delhi, termed Harris a “fighter”. She is capable to overcome challenges and make herself heard, he said, adding: “My sister has taught her to be brave.”


The daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, Harris will be the first woman vice president of the US. She will also be the first Indian-origin and African-American vice president of the country.

Balachandran, who was a consultant at Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, expects Harris to be the “most active” vice president in US history.

He expressed hope that her portfolio would give Indians in the US "greater access" in dealing with the US administration.

The 56-year-old Oakland-born politician has been a senator from California since 2017. She previously served as the attorney general of California between 2011 and 2017, and became the first woman of colour to be the district attorney of San Francisco in 2004, serving until 2011.

As the news of her victory broke, Harris’ younger sister, Maya, tweeted:

While one of her mother’s sisters, Sarala Gopalan, lives in Chennai, their other sister is based in Canada.

The 56-year-old Oakland born politician has been the California Senator since 2017. She previously served as the attorney general of California between 2011 and 2017, and became the first woman of colour to be the district attorney of San Francisco in 2004, serving until 2011.

The Indian origin Senator possesses a strong sense of justice and integrity, a trait which he imbibed from her paternal grandfather PV Gopalan, according to sources who have followed her career. Harris has been a fierce critic of moves by the Trump administration to curtail rights of vulnerable immigrant communities.

While Kamala’s aunt (mother’s sister) Dr Sarala Gopalan lives in Chennai, their other sister is based in Canada.