Even though the US presidential elections are still months away, Kamala Harris, the US democratic vice-presidential nominee, has already been declared 'victorious' in her native hometown in India. Billboards announcing Harris' victory have come up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India.
Harris was named as the running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The 56-year-old California senator is the first Black woman to have been shortlisted as VP nominee.
Indian City Celebrates Kamala's Nomination
Harris bears a mixed parentage of African and Indian races. Her father Dr Donald Harris migrated from Jamaica, while her mother Dr Shyamala Gopalan, who hails from Chennai, India, moved to America to pursue a doctoral program at UC Berkeley on a scholarship. Harris was born in 1964 in Oakland, California, many years after her parents immigrated to the US.
Harris's grandfather PV Gopalan was a high-ranking government official in the Tamil Nadu state. The poster erected in Chennai, reads "PV Gopalan's granddaughter is victorious."
Sharing the image of the billboard on Twitter, Harris' niece, Meena Harris, wrote: "I was sent this from Tamil Nadu where our Indian family is from. 'PV Gopalan's granddaughter is victorious', says the billboard.
"I knew my great grandfather from our family trips to Chennai when I was young—he was a big figure for my grandma and I know they're together somewhere smiling now."
During one of her previous interviews, Harris had spoken fondly about her Indian roots stating that her mother instilled Indian values in them. She had also called her grandfather one of the most influential persons in her life. "We used to go back to India every couple of years. One of the most influential people in my life, in addition to my mother, was my grandfather P V Gopalan, who actually held a post in India that was like the secretary of state position in this country," Harris had said.
She also recalled the long walks with her grandfather where he would tell them about the 'heroes' responsible for the birth of the world's largest democracy.
Will Harris Become 'Lotus To POTUS?
Soon after the Harris' name was announced as Biden's running mate and VP nominee, US President Donald Trump had raised doubts over her eligibility to the serve at The White House.
Claims stating that Harris' being born to immigrant parents makes her ineligible to become the VP or President of US were laid to dust by the 14th Amendment of the US which automatically grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil.
Kamala, which means 'Lotus' in Hindi, was trending with Lotus to POTUS (President of The United States), hinting at the possibility of Harris' assuming the highest position in the White House, in the wake of Biden becoming President and stepping down later.
Around a week before Biden's announcement, a fake claim cropped up on social media stating that if Biden is unable to serve a full term as president, Kamala cannot by constitutional law become President as she is an 'anchor baby' born to parents who weren't American citizens at time of her birth. However, trashing the fake claim, Fact Check stated that Harris is a natural born U.S. citizen and eligible to serve as president of the country.
