PC Bureau
New Delhi
In a final outreach to Indian-American voters ahead of the U.S. presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, highlighted her Indian heritage and childhood visits to India with her late mother, a cancer researcher.
In an op-ed for The Juggernaut, a South Asian publication, Harris shared, “Growing up, my mother raised my sister and me to appreciate and honor our heritage. Nearly every other year, we would go to India for Diwali, spending time with our grandparents, uncles, and chitthis.”
She added, “As Vice President, it has been my honor to host Diwali celebrations at the Vice President’s Residence. It’s a chance not only to celebrate the holiday, but also to honor the rich history, culture, and heritage of the South Asian American diaspora, bound by a shared belief in America’s promise.”
Harris wrote that, at just 19, her mother, Shyamala Harris, traveled alone from India to the United States.
“My mother had two goals in her life: to raise her two daughters, my sister Maya and me, and to cure breast cancer,” she wrote.
“When I was little, when we traveled to India, we would also visit my grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, in what was then called Madras. My grandfather was a retired civil servant. His morning routine consisted of taking long walks on the beach with his retired buddies. I would join him on those walks and listen to stories about the importance of fighting for democracy and civil rights,” she wrote.
“Throughout these walks, I recall my grandfather teaching me lessons about not just what it means to have a democracy but to keep a democracy. Those lessons first inspired my interest in public service, and they continue to guide me today — as Vice President and as a candidate for President of the United States,” Harris said.
She emphasized her belief that Americans want a president who works for all the American people. “And that has been the story of my entire career,” she said.
“South Asian Americans are often overlooked by our healthcare system, especially when it comes to heart health and diabetes. I worked with President Joe Biden to cap insulin prices for seniors at $35 and reduce drug costs. I will protect the Affordable Care Act and expand Medicare to cover home care for seniors. This is personal for me. When my mother had cancer, I helped take care of her and did everything I could to make her comfortable. I understand the burdens of caregiving and will work to ease them for your families,” she wrote.
“With respect to fixing our broken immigration system, I reject the false choice between securing our border and creating a system of immigration that is orderly and humane. We can and must do both. The bipartisan border security bill I support does that. It will reduce illegal border crossings through strict enforcement, so that South Asian lives aren’t endangered. I will partner with Democrats, Republicans, and independents to ensure we live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants,” she said.
“Our role in the world is also at stake in this election, and I will ensure that we strengthen, not abdicate, our global leadership. As Vice President, I have expanded our relationships with key South Asian partners, including India. And unlike Trump, who cozies up to tyrants and whose own national security officials have deemed ‘dangerous’ and ‘unfit,’ I will never waver in defending America’s security and ideals,” she wrote.
“Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious. Trump and his extremist allies will cut Social Security and Medicare. His economic policies will drive inflation higher and cause a recession by mid-2025. He intends to impose what I call a ‘Trump sales tax,’ which is at least a 20% tax, if not more, on everyday necessities. Economists have estimated this will cost the American family an additional $4,000 a year,” Harris wrote.
