Thulasendrapuram: In a small village in Tamil Nadu, southern India, the residents of Thulasendrapuram have come together to pray for the victory of US Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. This village holds a special connection to Harris, as it is the birthplace of her maternal grandfather. Despite the geographic distance and the fact that Harris has never visited the village, the connection remains strong for the villagers.
According to Anadolu Agency, the villagers feel a deep sense of pride and connection to Harris, viewing her potential victory as their own. “Her victory will be our victory. If our prayers reach God, she will triumph,” expressed M. Natarajan, a temple priest in the village. Harris’s grandfather, Gopalan Gopalan, left Thulasendrapuram for Chennai, where he worked as a senior government official. His daughter, Shyamala Gopalan, later moved to the US for higher education, eventually marrying and giving birth to Kamala Harris.
Harris is celebrated as a prominent figure in
Thulasendrapuram, with her image displayed prominently on billboards and banners throughout the area. “Our village ancestors’ granddaughter is running for US president. This is a great honor,” Natarajan added. As Americans head to the polls, they are not only deciding the future of the presidency but also making choices for Congress, various states, and local governments. The key battlegrounds in the election are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Both Harris and Trump have focused their campaigning efforts on these critical states, understanding that any one of them could swing the election outcome.