iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
As former US President Donald Trump announced on Monday, July 15, his choice for Vice President in the upcoming presidential elections, selecting Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate, it has shifted the spotlight on Vance’s Indian-descent wife Usha Chilukuri Vance.
Usha, an accomplished attorney, is credited with Vance’s meteoric rise in American politics. This strategic selection might help Trump endear himself with the Indian-American voters, who according to a recent survey, have started to drift away from the incumbent President and likely Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Born to Indian immigrants from Andhra Pradesh, Usha brings a wealth of credentials and a deep connection to Indian values and culture. Raised in a suburb of San Diego, California, her upbringing emphasized education and hard work – values that have shaped her impressive career.
Her academic achievements are noteworthy. At Yale, she served as Managing Editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology and Executive Development Editor of The Yale Law Journal, according to a biography from Munger, Tolles & Olson law firm. After four years of intense extracurricular activity at Yale, she continued her studies as a Gates fellow at Cambridge University.
Interestingly, during her time at Cambridge, Usha engaged with left-wing and liberal groups, showcasing her diverse intellectual interests. She was a registered Democrat as recently as 2014, the same year she married JD Vance. This political background adds an intriguing dimension to her current role supporting her husband’s Republican candidacy.
Usha’s impressive academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in History from Yale University and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge. Her legal career has been equally distinguished, including clerking for Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh before the latter’s nomination to the Court.
AI Mason, a US-based global real estate investment advisor and entrepreneur known to be close to the Trump family, told ANI, “Usha Vance is a highly accomplished attorney and daughter of Indian immigrants — and her husband brings youth and diversity to the Trump ticket.” Mason added, “She knows the Indian culture and all about India. She can be a big help to her husband in navigating great ties between USA and India.”
Usha and JD Vance met at Yale Law School and married in Kentucky in 2014, incorporating both Christian and Hindu ceremonies. The couple has three children together. Usha has been instrumental in her husband’s success, helping him organize his thoughts for his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”, which was later adapted into a film.
In a recent interview with Fox & Friends, Usha spoke about her husband’s qualities, saying, “I don’t think people understand how hard he works and how creative he is. Everything he says and does is built on a foundation of so much thought. He’s always trying to do better.”
When asked about her support for JD Vance, Usha told Fox, “There are a few different reasons…One is that I grew up in a religious household. My parents are Hindu, and that was one of the things that made them such good parents, that makes them really very good people. And so I think I’ve seen that…the power of that in my own life, and I knew that JD was searching for something. This just felt right for him.”
JD Vance, born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, overcame a challenging childhood marked by his mother’s struggle with addiction and his father’s absence. Raised by his grandparents, Vance’s journey from a difficult upbringing to his current position as a US Senator, and now vice presidential candidate, has garnered significant attention.
The Trump campaign has indicated that the former president plans to call for unity in the face of recent challenges, shifting away from criticizing political adversaries as he prepares to face off against President Biden in a 2024 election rematch.
Usha Vance with her daughter. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/teamjdvance
