From whipping up dosas with American actress Mindy Kaling in a throwback video to being the first coloured woman on a major American party’s presidential ticket, United States’ running mate Kamala Harris has been making headlines off late. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about her. By Bayar Jain
1. Her maternal grandfather fought for Indian independence
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While her Indian lineage is a known fact by now, her grandfather’s connection to Indian Independence is yet to come to the fore. Speaking to CNN, Harris mentioned her grandfather, PV Gopalan, fought in the civil rights movements in the country and was one of the original freedom fighters in India.
2. She served as the President of Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at University of California Hastings College of Law
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As per the college website, Harris took up this regional post at her law school to advocate for “greater campus diversity as part of the Legal Education Opportunity Programme.”
3. Her secret service code name is ‘Pioneer’
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CNN states in its report that this Democratic candidate has chosen the nickname–if she wins in November—as reminiscent of her achievement as the first coloured woman and Indian-American woman on a major American party ticket. Notably, candidates under Secret Service protection often choose code names that resonate with them personally.
4. She has earned more than USD 500,000 (approximately INR 3,75,25,722) from her three books
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Harris is the author of three books, Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor’s Plan to Make Us Safer; The Truths We Hold: An American Journey; and a children’s picture book called Superheroes Are Everywhere. As per Marie Claire, this three-time author has earned over USD 556,000 (approximately INR 4,15,95,750) in book advances alone. In fact, the report also claims that Harris earned USD 320,125 (approximately INR 2,39,48,391) from her last book alone.
5. She once appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show
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According to the New York Post, Harris not only appeared on the talk show but also revealed her witty side. Reportedly, the hostess asked who she would rather be stuck in an elevator with — current American president, Donald Trump; current Vice President, Mike Pence; or former United States Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. She replied, “does one of us have to come out alive?”
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