Hope And Joy As Indian Americans Get Their First Presidential Nominee

Photo: Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz

By Suresh U. Kumar

In a historic moment that reverberates deeply within the Indian American community and across the globe, Kamala Harris—daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father—accepted the Democratic nomination for President on August 22 at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. For millions of Indian Americans and other immigrants who have faced struggles to find their place in the American fabric, this was a moment of triumph, recognition, and validation. Her rise is not just a personal victory but a collective one for all of us who have worked tirelessly to build a better life while holding on to the richness of our cultural heritage.

Harris’s story is intertwined with the values she inherited from her Indian grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, who was a civil servant in India’s independence movement, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a fearless cancer researcher who came to the US in the 1960s. Her grandfather’s commitment to public service and her mother’s relentless pursuit of justice and education deeply shaped Kamala’s worldview.

In 2023 at a luncheon for the visiting Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Harris movingly recounted how her grandfather would take her on his morning walks, sharing stories of the struggle for Indian independence, teaching her about civic duty, and encouraging her to think about the world through the lens of equity, fairness, and public service. These timeless lessons that transcended borders, inspiring her to stand up for the underprivileged. Although Harris was born and grew up in the US, her connection to India should not come as a surprise to members of the Indian American diaspora, especially who grew up in India, most of who retain deep cultural and familial ties to the land of their birth.

As I watched Kamala Harris take the stage, what filled my heart was more than just pride—it was recognition of the journey that immigrants have traveled. Indian Americans, like so many other immigrant communities, have faced their share of struggles: from early exclusionary laws and discrimination to the challenges of integrating into a new society while preserving our cultural identity. For years, we worked silently in the background, working long hours to build businesses, investing in the education of our children, waiting patiently for years and in many cases for decades just to get a green card, paying our taxes, following the law, and raising families, all while dealing with the barriers placed in our way. Harris’s rise represented the culmination of that journey—a testament to our community’s resilience and strength.

In her acceptance speech, Harris didn’t just reflect on the hard-earned victories of her political career, but on the values instilled in her by the women who raised her—particularly her mother and the larger Indian and American community that helped shape her. She fondly remembers growing up in a multicultural home, where the smell of Indian spices mingled with the sounds of her mother discussing politics and science. Harris’s love for dosa, a South Indian staple, and the tang of her mother’s spice blends, are not just culinary preferences—they are symbols of the rich, vibrant culture that she carries with her wherever she goes.

And then there’s the now famous story of the coconut tree. Kamala Harris, in 2023 famously quoted an idiom from her mother: “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” She was making the point that mothers in South India often do- that every human being is a sum total of countless lived experiences and experiments and the support of an extended family of relatives, friends and neighbors. Even before the balloons rained down on her at the DNC on August 22nd, most Indian Americans- one of the most consistent Democratic voters of any ethnic group in the US– consider Harris as yet another example of the diaspora’s onward march to higher levels of success, respect, and influence in the United States.

This notion of family, resilience, and middle class values are echoed in her broader political vision and policies she had helped champion. The Biden-Harris administration has worked to shift the country’s focus back to ordinary people, much like her grandfather once advocated for in his role as a civil servant in India. Through legislation like the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, Harris and Biden have demonstrated that democracy can still work for those of us who have been left behind, marginalized, or forgotten. Their policies reflect a commitment to rebuilding communities—a commitment that mirrors the values of service and justice her mother and grandfather championed.

Early on in the administration, Harris cast the deciding vote in passing the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion package intended to address the Covid-19 pandemic by providing funding for vaccinations, relief to families hit hardest, and support for struggling communities. She also played a critical role in securing the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding has revitalized communities, empowered consumers to shop small again and provided opportunities for small businesses to compete. On the foreign policy front, Ms. Harris has consistently taken a principled stand on complex issues. She has not shied away from bringing up the question of minority rights in India, standing firm with Ukraine, and voicing concerns for the plight of the people Gaza. Indian Americans can rest assured that according to many foreign policy experts, she would be likely to continue the Biden administration’s broad effort to bring India closer as a counterweight to China.

As Harris accepted her nomination, she did so not just as a candidate but as a representative of our collective hopes and dreams. “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth,” she said, “I accept your nomination for President of the United States of America.” In that moment, Harris wasn’t just standing up for herself—she was standing up for all of us. For every underdog who has been told that they didn’t belong, for every immigrant who has had to fight twice as hard to succeed, and for every child of an immigrant who has navigated the tension between two worlds, this was our moment.

Politics aside, Kamala Harris’s journey from the daughter of immigrants to the highest echelons of American politics is a story that has infused the youth with hope and possibility. Her candidacy is more than symbolic; it is a reminder that the struggles we have faced are not in vain. Harris’s love for her Indian roots, her deep reverence for the lessons passed down from her mother and grandfather, shows that our culture, our values, and our identity are central to the fabric of America.

Her nomination represents the future of a Democratic Party that understands the importance of community, inclusivity, diversity—not as buzzwords, but as foundational principles. With help from her genial running mate, Tim Walz, Harris has wholeheartedly embraced the mantel of patriotism and love for country, long considered a Republican preserve. It’s a vision that resonates with the experiences of the Indian American community, who have worked tirelessly to build a life here while remaining connected to our heritage. Indian American have the African American community to thank for paving the way for all minority groups in American. Without the backing of the Congressional Black Caucus, Harris’s candidacy just would not be viable. President Joe Biden deserves credit, not only for the unpresented sacrifice he made making the decision not to seek a 2nd term, but also for his strong endorsement of Kamala Harris to succeed him. Without all these pieces of puzzle falling into place, who known how much longer the India American community would have had to wait to see someone who look like them and shares their values, run for the highest office of the land.

(Kumar is an author, professor and founder of India Americans for Harris, a 28,000-member group that supports Harris-Walz.)