Kamala Harris's impact on the Indian village where her family's remarkable journey began

Images of the Democratic presidential nominee are everywhere in the ancestral home of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan. The National travelled to the rural village of Thulasendrapuram to find a young generation inspired by her White House campaign

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Reminders of the roots of US Vice President Kamala Harris's grandfather dot the quiet village of Thulasendrapuram in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Ms Harris, who paid tribute to her Indian mother while accepting the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday, has inspired young women in her ancestral village to reach for the stars.

Addressing an enthusiastic crowd at the Democratic National Convention, the party's nominee, 59, recalled how her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, shaped her life and demonstrated courage in the face of discrimination.

"My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, travelling from India to California, with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer," Ms Harris said. "My mother was a brilliant, 5ft tall, brown woman with an accent. And, as the eldest child, I saw how the world would sometimes treat her. But she never lost her cool. She was tough, courageous."

Kamala Harris, centre, in front of her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris and beside her sister, Maya. Ms Harris's grandparents PV, left, and Rajam Gopalan, right, were visiting in 1972. Photo: Kamala Harris campaign

In Thulasendrapuram, some 14,000km from Washington DC, banners bearing images of Kamala Harris and wishing her good luck flap on the sides of thatched homes, and the tiny village shop, in the rural community of only 350 residents.

Madhumati, 21, daughter of the shop’s owner, said Ms Harris’s rise in US politics motivated many in the village to study hard.

“I want to study and get higher education and become something like her,” the second-year commerce student told The National in Tamil, the regional language.

Madhumati, 21, who wants to emulate Kamala Harris, with her father in their shop in Thulasendrapuram. Taniya Dutta / The National

She held a framed photograph of Ms Harris as she described her ambition to attain a high-ranking government role. For now, she helps her father in the shop but keeps up to date on the US campaign’s progress.

Proud of who they call their "daughter", residents of the rural cluster of homes last month held Hindu prayers after US President Joe Biden dropped out of the race against former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump. The village celebrated the ascension of Ms Harris to lead the Democratic ticket.

The village has been honouring the former attorney general of California and US senator since 2021, when she became Vice President to Mr Biden. They celebrated that day as if it were Diwali – the festival of lights – by setting off firecrackers and distributing sweets and chocolates.

They put up posters in the streets and even offered prayers at the local temple, said Arulmozhi Sudhakar, a member of the village council. Residents plan to offer prayers and watch the news on election day on November 5.

Thulasendrapuram, birthplace of Kamala Harris's grandfather - in pictures

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  Janani Jagatheeswari, 20-year-old nursing student from Thulasendrapuram, is rooting for the Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris to win the upcoming US Presidential elections

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  A neighbour showing the land where PV Gopalan’s house once stood. Mr Gopalan, the grandfather of US Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris was born at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India.

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  Rupan, the priest at the ancestral temple of Ms Harris. The priest had held a special prayer for Ms Harris after President Biden dropped out of the race against the former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

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  The ancestral temple of Ms Kamala Harris at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Ms Harris has donated $60 for the temple renovation, the village council said.

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  A priest at the ancestral temple of Ms Harris. The priest had held a special prayer for Ms Harris after President Biden dropped out of the race against the former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

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  The women at Thulasendrapuram are elated by the nomination of Kamala Harris, the “daughter” of their village as the US Presidential candidate in the upcoming election.

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  A woman plucking flowers to offer it to the temple deity at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India.

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  The signboard showing Thulasendrapuram, the ancestral village of Kamala Harris, the US Vice President, in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Ms Harris’s grandfather belonged to the village.

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  A young schoolgirl smiles as she waits on her bicycle next to the giant hoarding of Kamala Harris that has been erected at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Ms Harris, whose grandfather was born in the village, has invoked joy and inspiration among women at the village.

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  Janani Jagatheeswari, praying to deities for Kamala Harris’s win in the upcoming US Presidential elections at a temple in Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India.

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  A shopkeeper has put up a framed picture of Kamala Harris at his shop in Thulasendrapuram, the ancetral village of Kamala Harris in Tamil Nadu in southern India.

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  Two women on a scooter ride past the hoarding of Kamala Harris at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu in southern India. The villagers have erected the hoarding to congratulate Ms Harris who has been nominated by her Democratic Party for the top post in the upcoming election.

Beyond cheering on Ms Harris as she battles Mr Trump in the race to the White House, the village's young women aspire to be like her by striving for success. Janani Jagatheeswari, a third-year nursing student, beams with pride as she tells local children about the Democratic Party nominee.

“I am proud of her and want to congratulate her,” Ms Jagatheeswari, 20, told The National. "Her grandfather belonged to this village. His home was on the same street as mine."

If she wins the election, Ms Harris will become the first female US president and the first person of Indian heritage to hold the position. “She is the inspiration to all the girls in this village,” Ms Jagatheeswari said. "She gives us hope that we can also become big and do good work."

Support for Kamala Harris is prominent in Thulasendrapuram. Taniya Dutta / The National

Links 100 years old

Ms Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist born in India, and Donald Harris, a Jamaican professor of economics. Ms Gopalan’s father, PV Gopalan, was born in Thulasendrapuram in 1911, Mr Sudhakar said. He became a civil servant, moving to the state capital Chennai, where Ms Harris's mother was born. She emigrated to the US in the late 1950s as a student.

Mr Gopalan was well-known in his home village, having campaigned for India's independence from British rule.

“PV Gopalan was born in this village. His ancestors lived in the same village. You can notice their names mentioned on the plaque among the list of donors at the temple,” Mr Sudhakar said.

The US Vice President has said on several occasions that she grew up with her mother's Indian culture and often joined her on visits to India. She had reportedly visited Chennai with her sister Maya – after their mother died in 2009, and immersed her ashes in the sea in keeping with Hindu tradition – but has yet to visit her ancestral home village.

Kamala Harris pays tribute to her Indian mother

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“The villagers are expecting her to visit at least once after winning the presidential election," Mr Sudhakar said. "She must meet our people living here."

If she does visit, Ms Harris will find she is informally part of the school curriculum, with teachers using her example to energise the younger generation.

Mary, a science teacher at the government-run primary school, who was using only her first name, told The National: “For all these girls, she is a very good inspiration. She is from this village. Girls are mostly defined in a particular place and they can also think of becoming a chief minister, or prime minister and strive to become big.”

Ms Harris's presence, or even just the idea of it, is raising hope of more investment and interest in Thulasendrapuram. Residents are certain she will be victorious over her Republican rival.

“Harris will certainly win the presidential election, as she has the blessings from the temple deity, he is very powerful,” Mr Sudhakar said, delighted that Ms Harris had donated 5,000 rupees [$60] to the village temple in 2014.

Kamala Harris donated $60 to a renovation project at the temple in Thulasendrapuram. Taniya Dutta / The National

“If she wins, the relationship between India and the US will become stronger. Likewise, many businesses will come here, [currently] many youngsters are still unemployed after studies.”