(Mother of Kamal Harris, Vice president –elect, USA, And Maya Harris).
Shyamala Gopalan ( Father P. V Gopalan & Mother Rajam Gopalan) was born in April 7,1938 in Madras (now Chennai), India. She was eldest among 4 siblings, brother Balachandran, Ph.D. in economics and computer science, sister Sarada, an Obstetrician, practiced in Chennai and younger sister Mahalaxmi, an information Scientist who worked for Government of Ontario, Canada.
Mr. Painganadu Venkatraman Gopalan was born in 1911 in Mannargudi, Madras Presidency, British India, present day Mannargudi in T.N, India. He was a civil servant and served as Joint Secretary to the Government of India in 1960. He died in February 1998 at his residence at Vasant Nagar, Chennai, T.N.).
After completing her graduation (BSc) from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University at the age of 19, shyamala left for USA for further study at the University of California, Berkeley (MS, PhD) where she received her doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology. She was known for Progesterone receptor biology & applications to breast cancer.
Her scientific carrier span in Institutions like Lady David Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Lawrence Berkeley National University.
It was 1958 when Shyamala entered the US. During that time most of Indian household did not have phones. The only way for a young Indian to stay in touch with her family in India was through hand written letters, known as aerograms which took about two weeks to arrive. But despite the distance, family remained in communication and closed.
After completing her PhD, Shyamala stayed at UC Berkeley and became a breast cancer researcher. She worked at the university of Wisconsin and University of Illinois. She was regular visitor to France and Italy.
In 1960, Ms. Gopalan met the man Donald J Harris at the University of California, Berkeley where both were studding. Both were immigrants, Harris from Jamaica. They both were involved in the civil right movements. They met at a protest rally and developed friendship. The pair married in 1963. They had two daughters named Kamal and Maya. They were bringing their both the daughters in those rallies some times. Kamala Devi Harris, their elder daughter, was born on 20 October 1964 at Oakland Medical Centre, Oakland , California, USA. Maya Harris her second daughter was born on January 30.1967 at Champaig-Urbana,USA.
Donalt J Harris was born in Jamaica in 1938 and came to USA to study at the University of California, Berkeley for his PhD in economics. He later became a US citizen. He was an award winning Stanford Professor of economics.
Shyamala and Harris eventually divorced in early 1970 when kamala and Maya were about 7 & 4 years old respectively. She fought a court case for the custody of their children and eventually mother Gopalan was granted full custody of both her daughters in 1972. She raised her both the daughters as a single mother.
Shyamala received an offer at the McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and shifted there with both her daughters. Kamala stayed in Canada from the age of 12 until high school graduation.
Shyamal Gopalan passed away in February 11, 2009 at the age of 70 from colon cancer.
In one of the rally after winning 2020 presidential election as the first women Vice President in USA history, Maya Harris once said, “ To know Kamal one must know their mother Shyamala “.
Complied by Bimal Dey, a member of GZA