In the narrative of Kamala Harris’ life, her mother takes center stage.

The Vice President embraces this role wholeheartedly.

“Mommy, you are the highlight of this book because you are the foundation of everything,” Harris expressed in her memoir, “The Truths We Hold,” published in 2019. “No title or accolade on this planet will ever mean more to me than being Shyamala Gopalan Harris’ daughter.”

Shyamala Gopalan, a dedicated breast cancer researcher who passed away in 2009 at age 70 from colon cancer, will not witness her daughter’s nomination for president by the Democratic Party, but her presence will be significantly felt.

“I think about her constantly,” Harris shared. “Sometimes I look upward and talk to her.”

Although Gopalan was petite, standing just above 5 feet, her intellectual prowess and determination were monumental.

At 19, Gopalan ventured out into the world, challenging the norms of her upbringing. She successfully raised two daughters who connected with her cultural background while also embracing a completely different one. She urged them to strive for excellence and progress while ensuring they uplifted those around them. All of this was achieved alongside her impactful work in science.

Insights from friends, colleagues, and family members, along with details from Harris’ memoir, highlight that the relationship between Harris and her mother has profoundly influenced her development both as an individual and a political figure. Gopalan, whom Harris affectionately referred to as “mommy,” instilled in her a vision of social justice, an understanding of her identity, and a resilient spirit.

In her memoir, Harris recounted a moment shortly after she announced her candidacy for California attorney general. At the time, Gopalan was battling serious illness.

“Mommy, these guys are saying they’re gonna kick my ass,” Harris confided to her.

Gopalan, resting on her side, turned to face her daughter.

“She rolled over, glanced at me, and flashed the biggest smile,” Harris remembered. “She understood the strength she had instilled in me. She realized my fighting spirit was thriving.”

A Trailblazer

Born in 1938, nearly ten years before India gained independence, Gopalan was the oldest of four children, with a civil servant father and a homemaker mother.

Her father, P.V. Gopalan, was the first in his family to travel outside of southern India for various government postings in cities like Bombay, Calcutta, and Delhi, as noted by Gopalan Balachandran, Shyamala’s brother.

According to Balachandran, their parents granted them “relative freedom” as long as they didn’t engage in anything overtly negative.

“She was spirited and a little mischievous,” he reminisced, recalling how they would often ditch school and partake in all sorts of antics. “We frequently found ourselves in trouble.”

However, a pivotal decision made by Gopalan at 19 would alter the course of her life and impact United States history.

After graduating from the University of Delhi, she surprised her family by applying and getting accepted into a Ph.D. program in nutrition and endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. In her traditional Tamil Brahmin culture, she was of “marriageable age” after completing her studies.

“They typically wouldn’t want a girl to outshine her future husband in education,” explained Balachandran.

Contrarily, their open-minded father supported her decision, stating, “For one year, I’ll provide you with my full support, but beyond that, I cannot afford it,” Balachandran recalled, highlighting their father’s limited financial means.

Shyamala and Her Daughters

In 1958, Gopalan arrived in the U.S. as a newcomer without any connections.

This was eight years before the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 abolished the quota system that had favored those of European descent, resulting in only 12,000 Indian immigrants residing in the U.S. by 1960, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Almost immediately upon her arrival, Gopalan felt drawn to the African American community and found her purpose within the Civil Rights Movement. During a gathering in 1962, she met Donald Harris, a Jamaican student pursuing a doctorate in economics.

A year later, the couple married. Contrary to her parents’ expectations of her returning to India for an arranged marriage within her community, Gopalan broke tradition by marrying someone outside her culture.

Kamala Harris described her mother’s choice as a demonstration of “self-determination and love.”

In 1964, at 25 years old, Gopalan completed her doctorate and welcomed Kamala into the world. Just two years later, Maya was born, who is now an advocate for civil rights.

The marriage was short-lived, as the couple divorced in 1971.

Gopalan took on the responsibility of raising her children—often referred to as “Shyamala and the girls”—in a vibrant, working-class, multicultural community in the Berkeley Flats area. Though Harris and her sister were closely tied to their Indian heritage, starting with their names, Harris noted that her mother “fully recognized that she was bringing up two Black daughters” in America.

“She understood that her adopted country would perceive Maya and me as Black girls, and she was resolute in ensuring we became confident, proud Black women,” she wrote.

Gopalan enrolled her daughters in the choir of a local Black church and resided above a nursery operated by a Black woman.

Regina Shelton and Gopalan developed a close friendship, and Harris has referred to Shelton as a “second mother,” often spending time with her while Gopalan worked in the lab.

According to Carole Porter, a childhood friend of Harris who lived in the vicinity and attended the same elementary school and daycare, she frequently observed Gopalan dropping Harris off at their duplex.

At times, she would also catch glimpses of Harris’ Indian grandparents—her grandmother dressed in a saree is a vivid memory.

“She would invite me to come and meet them,” Porter told YSL News, emphasizing how deeply Harris was rooted in her mother’s culture.

Gopalan was a “strong maternal figure” throughout her daughters’ lives, according to Porter.

During Harris’ campaign for San Francisco District Attorney, her mother was often seen bustling around with an ironing board (to serve as a stand-up desk) and making trips to copy her flyers at Kinko’s.

A beacon of intellect

The first time Dr. Robert Cardiff, a professor emeritus of Medicine at the University of California, Davis, came across Gopalan in the 1960s, she made a lasting impression.

Wearing a saree, Gopalan was commanding attention at a conference filled with “notable figures in mouse mammary biology,” he recalled.

“She was leading discussions, speaking and engaging everyone,” he recounted to YSL News. “She truly stood out.”

Years later, Gopalan, who made significant contributions to the research on the progesterone receptor gene in mice and its implications for breast tissue hormone response, would co-author research papers with Cardiff.

“She was an extraordinary woman, and in our scientific discussions, she always bested me because she was more knowledgeable about the literature,” said Cardiff, who has both an M.D. and a Ph.D. and is now 88.

She was also known for her delightful sense of humor.

“She was very articulate,” he said. “We used to joke that while I believed a single image held the worth of a thousand words, she was convinced that a thousand words are far more valuable than a picture.”

Lessons from ‘mommy’

In countless ways, Gopalan was a constant presence in Harris’ upbringing.

On tough days or when it was dreary outside, there was the special “unbirthday” gift and “unbirthday” cake – inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass.”

Harris spoke about the valuable lessons she learned from her mother.

Never do anything halfway.

Even if you’re the first in a field, ensure you’re not the last—be a mentor to others.

Never let any situation overcome you.

Whenever “Shyamala’s girls” complained about unfairness, Gopalan’s response was often a swift, “What are you going to do about it?” or “Take action!” This phrase has frequently been echoed by Harris during her public speeches, and even former First Lady Michelle Obama adopted it as a rallying call during her speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Harris has reflected on how people often underestimated Gopalan’s intellect due to her “heavy accent.”

The key takeaway? Don’t let anyone define you—assert your identity to the world.

A lasting legacy

Earlier this year, Mini Timmaraju, a reproductive rights advocate, received the Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris Award for Allyship and Civil Rights from Indian American Impact, a group focused on voting rights and advocacy.

“My mother would have adored you and your efforts,” Harris remarked in a letter sent to Timmaraju along with the award.

Timmaraju, who collaborated closely with Maya Harris in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, noted how evident their mother’s influence was on both sisters.

“It was clear right away how they viewed social good and welfare. It was evident that their mother was a trailblazer, having come here prior to the 1965 immigration reform, as well as a teenager,” she recalled.

Timmaraju, an Indian American mother of two adopted Black sons with a white husband, expressed her admiration for Gopalan’s parenting. “I wonder, ‘How did she raise these girls to be so confidently Black, embrace their heritage, yet not identify as Black herself?’” she reflected.

Deepak Raj, co-founder of Impact, mentioned that the organization decided to establish the award in Gopalan’s honor due to her pioneering role in the civil rights movement and her dedication to mentoring students of color.

“Her legacy reminds us that the immigrant experience encompasses more than personal success,” Raj explained. “It’s also about serving the public, contributing to the community, and paving the way for future generations.”

Returning Home

As Gopalan approached her end of life, her greatest desire was to return to India for one last visit.

Sadly, that wish remained unfulfilled.

Understanding she couldn’t make the journey, Balachandran, affectionately called “Uncle Balu” by Harris, flew in from Delhi for a final goodbye.

“I now see that she waited for him to come, waited to say farewell,” Harris shared. “She passed away the very next morning.”

Following her passing, Harris traveled to Chennai, India, a place she visited every other year with her mother to see her grandparents. During her childhood visits, she enjoyed long walks along Elliot’s Beach with her grandfather and his friends from Beasant Nagar. She returned to that place after her mother’s death.

“Kamala brought Shyamala’s ashes with her,” Balachandran told YSL News. “We went to Elliot’s Beach by the Bay of Bengal to scatter her ashes.”

In her memoir, Harris recounted a moment after her mother’s death when she was desperately searching for Gopalan’s recipe for chiles rellenos, a dish she usually made during Christmas.

“I stumbled upon a notebook, and when I opened it, the recipe fell right out and onto the floor,” Harris remembered. “It felt as if she was there with me, still attending to my needs.”

Stepping In

Harris cherishes the memories of sitting in the kitchen with her mom, experiencing the sights and smells of cooking. Her mother wielded a large Chinese cleaver and had a shelf overflowing with spices.

Balachandran mentioned that now his niece has taken up her mother’s role, preparing vegetarian South Indian dishes for him during his visits.

Coincidentally, he was at Harris’s home the evening before President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the race and endorse her instead.

“She had absolutely no clue. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have shared such a long dinner with us,” he noted.

On Thursday, Balachandran and his two younger sisters will occupy prime seats at the convention, eagerly watching their niece accept her party’s nomination for President of the United States.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a correspondent at the White House for YSL News. Follow her on X, previously known as Twitter, @SwapnaVenugopal