Who is Usha Chilukuri Vance?

New Delhi: Usha Chilukuri Vance, the wife of Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, is set to become the first Indian-origin Second Lady of the United States. Her roots trace back to Andhra Pradesh. Born and raised in suburban San Diego, Usha's ancestral village has been praying for improvements to their land, hoping her historic position will bring positive changes.

A highly accomplished lawyer and the child of Indian immigrants, Usha Vance is known for her academic success. Her husband, JD Vance, is the Vice-Presidential candidate in Trump's election campaign. During a rally, Donald Trump praised JD Vance and his wife, saying, "I want to be the first to congratulate – now I can say Vice President-elect JD Vance. And his remarkable and beautiful wife, Usha Vance." Trump also described Vance as a "feisty guy," with both JD and Usha present alongside Trump’s wife, Melania, on stage.

Usha Vance hails from Vadluru, a village in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Her family moved abroad over 50 years ago and has since contributed to the village by donating land for temples like Sai Baba, Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, and Goddess Bala Seeta temples, which were built for the village's welfare. Villagers in Vadluru have offered prayers for JD Vance's success in the election, hoping his victory will bring pride to the village and strengthen the relationship between India and the United States. Although Usha has never visited the village, her father, Chilukuri Radhakrishnan, visited around three years ago to check on the condition of the temples. Usha Vance, a Yale Law School graduate, met her husband, JD Vance, at Yale Law School, and the couple married in 2014.