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Indians in Kamala Harris's Ancestral Village Rejoice in Her Projected Win

Anjana Pasricha

   NEW DELHI - Local residents of her ancestral village blew up
   firecrackers, her maternal uncle fielded endless calls from reporters
   in his New Delhi home, while ordinary Indians were elated that Kamala
   Harris, who is of part Indian origin, has beaten high odds to make
   history in the United States as the projected vice president.

   For its part, India had a female leader more than 50 years ago, when
   Indira Gandhi became the country's first female prime minister in 1966.

   In Thulasendirapuram village in India's southern Tamil Nadu state,
   where Harris's maternal grandfather was born, the mood was festive--
   women drew murals, children clutched posters of Harris and people
   offered thanks at the local temple for her victory, calling her "the
   daughter of our village."

   "Congratulations Kamala Harris, Pride of our village, Vanakkam
   [Greetings] America," one woman wrote as residents celebrated and
   distributed sweets. In recent days, the village held special prayers
   for Harris as it closely tracked the election results in the U.S.

   In the home of her maternal uncle in New Delhi, Gopalan Balachandran,
   the pride in his niece's achievement was mixed with an equal measure of
   relief at the projected Democratic victory.

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