The United States presidential election results evoked contrasting emotions in two villages in India: While residents of Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu were disappointed by Ms Kamala Harris’ loss, those in Vadluru, Andhra Pradesh, celebrated Mr Donald Trump’s triumph along with his vice-presidential mate J.D. Vance.
Ms Kamala’s maternal family hails from Thulasendrapuram. On the other hand, Mr Vance’s wife Usha Chilukuri has roots in Vadluru.
On Nov 6, as the results began to pour in, people in both villages were glued to television screens checking the outcome. But the mood in one village began to dip as it became clear that Mr Trump would win.
Thulasendrapuram, teeming with people, gradually became deserted and returned to its usual state of quietude, reported the Press Trust of India.
“We were hoping for her victory and had planned celebrations bigger than Deepavali,” said village leader J. Sudhakar. “We made arrangements to burst firecrackers, offer temple pujas and host a community lunch.
“But success and failure are part of life. She is a fighter and will make a comeback.”
While there was palpable disappointment in Thulasendrapuram, the mood was upbeat in Vadluru.
Following Mr Trump and his vice-presidential mate J.D. Vance’s victory, people there celebrated – as Vadluru is the ancestral village of Mr Vance’s wife Usha Chilukuri.
Vadluru is about 3km from the town Tanuku in West Godavari district, where Ms Usha’s family once lived.
“We celebrated Usha’s husband’s victory. We burst crackers and offered prayers at the local Sai Baba temple,” former village president P. Srinivasa Raju, 53, told PTI. Incidentally, the Sai Baba temple was constructed on a plot donated by Ms Usha’s family.
People in Vadluru had offered prayers for a Trump win, and Hindu priest Appaji said he hoped Ms Usha would do something in return. “We expect her to help our village,” the 43-year-old priest said. “If she can recognise her roots and do something for this village, then that would be great.”
Another village leader Badri Narayana, 67, said Ms Usha’s family has a 70-year connection with Vadluru. He noted that her grandfather was a farmer there, though now only Ms Usha’s distant relatives live in the village. Ms Usha’s parents emigrated to the US in 1980.
According to the Deccan Herald, Ms Usha’s great-grandfather moved out of Vadluru, and her father – a PhD holder – was brought up in Chennai, before heading to the US for higher studies.
Ms Usha, a practising Hindu who studied at Yale and Cambridge Universities, was born and brought up in San Diego. She met Mr Vance at Yale and married him in Kentucky in 2014. They have three children.
“Every Indian feels proud of Usha,” said 70-year-old Venkata Ramanayya, a Vadluru resident. “She has never visited the village, but her father came around three years ago and checked on the temple’s condition.”
With the Trump-Vance victory on Nov 6, Ms Usha, 38, is set to become America’s Second Lady – the first Indian-American in that role.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said, “it is a moment of pride for the Telugu community around the world”, adding that he is looking forward to inviting Mr Vance and Ms Usha to visit the state.
