Indian-Americans ‘navigate’ identity amid rise in politics, from Nikki Haley to Vivek Ramaswamy
- Indian-Americans are more politically prominent than ever before – and increasingly wearing their identity proudly
- Indian-Americans stand out as having a ‘quicker journey’ to political success than other ethnic groups as they tend to be well-educated with high incomes, observers say
Of the many attacks between this year’s US presidential candidates, some of the harshest have pitted Vivek Ramaswamy against Nikki Haley.
Ramaswamy went so far as to hold up a sign at a debate calling the South Carolina former governor and UN ambassador corrupt over her corporate work – and she has hit back hard, calling him untrustworthy and berating him for mentioning her children.
Personal attacks are routine in US politics, and both Haley and Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old entrepreneur who has never held elected office, are facing uphill climbs to wrest the Republican nomination from former president Donald Trump.
But the two have something in common – they are children of Indian immigrants. Also expected on this year’s ballot is Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris, whose mother came from India and whose father was born in Jamaica.
Indian-Americans are split on whether the Ramaswamy-versus-Haley feud channels larger community tensions, but what is incontestable is that Indian-Americans are more politically prominent than ever before – and increasingly wearing their identity proudly.