"America mein khila kamal": Indian-Americans hail selection of Kamala Harris

Washington: Leading Indian-American groups and individuals, including former Pepsico chief Indra Nooyi, have hailed the nomination of Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris as Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, saying it was a “great choice” and a “moment of pride” for the entire community in the US.

However, there were also some community members who questioned Ms. Harris’s contribution towards the Indo-US ties and said that they would not be swayed by identity politics.

Presumptive Democratic Party Presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday named 55-year-old Kamala Harris as his Vice Presidential running mate, making history by electing the first black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket.

Kamala Harris, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is currently the US Senator from California.

“This is a great choice for our country,” tweeted Ms. Nooyi, who is seen as a role model by millions of women across the world.

Kamala Harris herself was a presidential aspirant until last year before she dropped out of the race because of a lack of popular support.

“What an electric moment for the Indian-American community! Indian-Americans are now truly a mainstream community in the national fabric,” MR Rangaswami, an eminent Indian-American and the founder of Indiaspora, told news agency PTI.

Welcoming the decision, IMPACT, a leading Indian-American advocacy group, and a Political Action Committee, said it will raise USD 10 million for the campaign.

“Kamala Harris’s story is the story of a changing, inclusive America…Her candidacy is historic and inspiring, not only for Black Americans but for millions of Asian American voters, the fastest-growing voting bloc in the country,” IMPACT’s executive director Neil Makhija said.

Kamala Harris’s supporters on Tuesday announced to launch a nationwide campaign “America mein Khila Kamal (Lotus blooms in the US)”.

California-based Indian-American entrepreneur Ajay Bhutoria told news agency PTI that he is planning to release graphic and social media posts around this slogan in the run-up to the November 3 presidential elections.

Mr Bhutoria is also the creator of a multi-language campaign, including in Hindi, which says, “America Ka Neta Kaisa Ho, Jo Biden Jaisa Ho!! (How America”s leader should be, like Biden)”, as part of the efforts to reach to the Indian-American community.