Who is Shyamala Gopalan? Kamala Harris invokes her Indian mother in DNC speech

When Kamala Harris talks about her South Asian identity, it’s usually in the context of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan. The same was true Thursday night during Harris’ speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention.

Gopalan, who died in 2009, left an indelible mark on the vice president, immersing her in Indian culture and social activism from an early age.