Usha Chilukuri Vance, an Indian-origin litigator, is the wife of J D Vance, who was recently announced as
Donald Trump's vice presidential pick for the upcoming US elections on Monday. Usha Vance carries rich Indian cultural values and has a strong legal background, making her a key figure in this political partnership.
Usha Vance, daughter of Indian immigrants, is a litigator at a national law firm.
She graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in History and earned a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge. A corporate litigator at a prestigious law firm in San Francisco, has clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts of the
Supreme Court, as well as for Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his tenure as an appeals court judge.
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Raised in a suburb of San Diego, California, Usha's upbringing emphasised education and hard work. Her academic journey saw her serving as Managing Editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology and Executive Development Editor of The Yale Law Journal. As a Gates fellow at Cambridge, she engaged with left-wing and liberal groups and was a registered Democrat in 2014.
JD Vance and Usha Chilukuri Vance (AP photo)
Usha and JD Vance first met at Yale Law School and were married in Kentucky in 2014. Their wedding included a Hindu priest presiding over a separate ceremony. The couple has three children together.
Usha Vance has been instrumental in her husband's political success. She played a key role in helping JD Vance organise his thoughts on the social decline in rural white America, which inspired his best-selling memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." The memoir was adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard in 2020.
In the past, Usha has made some rare public appearances alongside JD Vance during his campaign from the Ohio Senate seat.
As the
US presidential elections approach, former President Donald Trump announced JD Vance as his Vice Presidential pick. Trump confirmed Vance's candidacy through a social media post.
"Usha Vance is a highly accomplished attorney and daughter of Indian immigrants—and her husband brings youth and diversity to the Trump ticket," said AI Mason, a US-based global real estate investment advisor and entrepreneur, speaking to ANI. "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," added Mason.
Earlier, in an interview with Fox & Friends, Usha Chilukuri Vance and her husband talked about their different faiths and his potential candidacy for Vice President of the US.
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"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," said Usha Vance.
On supporting her husband, 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."
The interview was conducted three weeks before JD Vance was announced as Trump's running mate for the upcoming US presidential elections.
JD Vance was born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, to a mother who struggled with addiction and a father who left the family when he was a toddler. Raised by his grandparents, Vance's challenging early life shaped his perspectives.
The Trump campaign has stated that following his near-death experience, the former president will focus on calling for unity in times of tragedy, instead of criticising his political adversaries. This approach will be pivotal as he faces off against President Biden in the 2024 election rematch.