As US Election Day Arrives, Kamala Harris’ Native Indian Village Prays For Her Success

Voting for the United States Presidential Election 2024 begins on November 5. Over 13,000 kilometres away from Washington DC, a quaint town in Tamil Nadu is holding prayers for the victory of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Thulasendrapuram in Tiruvur district is Harris' ancestral village, where her grandfather was born about a century ago. The Indo-American leader stands at the cusp of history as she could be the first woman, and a woman of colour at that, to be the President of the US.

Tamil Nadu Prays For Kamala Harris

Thulasendrapuram is peppered with posters of Kamala Harris as the entire town awaits her success in the US polls. Outside a temple is a large banner wishing “the daughter of the land" good luck, appropriately placed close to a stone signage that shows the names of Harris and her grandfather for public donations.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Prayers offered for the victory of US Presidential candidate Kamala Harris at her ancestral village, Thulasendrapuram

The US presidential elections are set to take place on November 5, with Harris going against former US President and Republican candidate… pic.twitter.com/9wTq19aK9n

— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2024

The villagers had also prayed for Harris' success during the 2020 elections when she emerged as the Vice President of the US. The Democratic leader has often shared stories of her connection to India, her childhood visits to Chennai (then Madras), and fond memories with her maternal grandfather.

Harris' grandfather PV Gopalan was born in Thulasendrapuram and relocated to Chennai where he worked as a senior government official until his retirement. Harris' mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was born there before moving to the US. PV Gopalan moved to Zambia, where he worked as a diplomat. 

The late Shyamala Gopalan was a biomedical scientist. In Harris' autobiography, she detailed the enduring influence that the women in her family had on her leadership. “My mother embodies the strength and bravery of my grandmother," she wrote, further attributing her grounding in social justice to her family.