Desi girl!

Nina: Nana, Nana. I am so excited.

Nana: You usually are but what for this time?

Nina: Oh come on, Nana. Even you must have heard it. Kamala Harris is the VP nominee for the US election. Desi girl, ya, desi girl.

Nana: Yes, I know. So what?

Nina: Oh, come on Nana. Even Lavanya was excited when she heard about those much hyped Besant Nagar beach walks of Kamala with her Chennai based grandfather all those years ago. In fact even CNN ran special coverage on how those Besant Nagar walks shaped her political views. Lavanya is just so psyched that she can settle a long running debate with Kanika as to which of Chennai’s beaches is the better one. You see, Kanika was rooting for Marina while Lavanya was totally for the Bessie beach.

Nana: Yes, yes. It’s good to know someone from the desi community is aspiring for the almost-highest office of the world through hard efforts and undoubtedly, she will serve as a role model to many little girls like you for her smarts, articulation and efforts but do remember Nina, we have our own trailblazers here.

In fact, the US lags India in this aspect. India has witnessed many strong women political leaders such as Indira Gandhi, Jayalalitha and Mamta Banerjee. It’s odd that for a deeply misogynistic soceity like ours, we accepted the rise of these women leaders easily while a supposedly more egalitarian soceity like the US took 200 years to acquire acceptance for a woman leader for a higher office. Let’s not forget what happened in the last US election. And I say that irrespective of whose ideology one prefers. In fact, I am a politically right-eous person.

Nina: I don’t doubt that at all, Nana. But you are growing better at your punning. Way to go!



  1. It’s true. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have all had women prime ministers. In spite of all the communal clashes instigated by the British, we have also had a unanimously respected and much loved Muslim president.

    When it comes to presidential candidates the underlying stench of sexism and religious intolerance rise to the top in the US. For all their principles about separation of church and state, one has to at least pretend to be Christian to stand a chance in the presidential race.

    But on the flip side the country also sports an incredibly, racially, ethically and religiously diverse population and some strong voices always speaking up for every point of view. Perhaps that’s what makes the rest of them insecure.

    All in all, quite nice to see a multi-racial, daughter of immigrants gunning for VP. Godspeed Kamala!

    Liked by 1 person

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