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Shyamala Gopalan was a pioneering Tamil Indian-American cancer researcher and civil rights activist, who significantly influenced her daughter, Kamala Harris, the US. Democratic presidential candidate.
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Born in Madras (now Chennai), she left India at 19 to pursue her dream of becoming a scientist in California, eventually earning a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology from the University of California, Berkeley
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Gopalan was renowned for her research on breast cancer and worked at several prestigious universities, including the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin, and McGill University in Montreal
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She raised her two daughters, Kamala and Maya, primarily on her own after divorcing her husband, Donald J Harris, whom she met during a civil rights protest in the 1960s.
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Kamala Harris frequently credits her mother for her strong values and activism, highlighting Shyamala's courage and determination to fight for women's health and racial equality
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The family lived in Canada for a period, where Kamala spent her formative years from age 12 until she graduated high school
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Even after her death in 2009 due to cancer, Shyamala's legacy continues through her daughters, who remain committed to social justice and equality
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Shyamala's impact is reflected in Kamala's speeches and public appearances, where she often honors her mother's trailblazing spirit and dedication to making a difference
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