Kamala Harris, U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate, paid tribute to her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, in a heartfelt social media post. Sharing a childhood photo with her mother, Harris credited Shyamala’s “courage and determination” as her inspiration, noting, “My mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, came to the United States from India alone at the age of 19. Her courage and determination made me who I am today.”
Shyamala Gopalan, a pioneering breast cancer researcher, raised Kamala and her sister Maya primarily on her own after her divorce from Donald Harris. Harris frequently shares stories about her mother, using their family history to connect with voters and underscore issues of feminism, racism, and middle-class resilience.
Harris described Shyamala as a woman of unwavering work ethic who balanced a strict budget while working long hours, and she reflects on caring for her mother during her illness before Shyamala passed away in 2009.