Ghazala Hashmi’s Hyderabad family proud of her rise in US politics
HYDERABAD: Ghazala Hashmi, recently elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in the United States, has strong familial ties to Hyderabad and has visited the city several times since migrating to the US with her family. Her most recent visit was in 2015, four years before she became the first Muslim-American woman to serve in the Virginia State Senate.
Her family members are spread across various parts of the city, including Malakpet, Saidabad, Mehdipatnam and Shaikpet. Hashmi’s paternal grandfather was an advocate, while her maternal grandfather worked in the finance department of the erstwhile Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Relatives recall her connection with city
Many of her cousins are in academia, while others are engaged in business and law. Hashmi also mentored several cousins, often exchanging letters with them before the advent of the internet. Some of her female relatives followed in her footsteps, earning doctorates and going on to work as faculty members in engineering colleges and as journalists.
“A kind-hearted and jovial person, she was my mentor during my PhD research,” said Dr Sameena Faheem Hashmi, associate professor and head of the English department at Deccan College of Engineering and Technology. Sameena, a resident of Muradnagar, said Hashmi had a deep emotional connection with Hyderabad. “During her 2015 visit, she was pleased to see Hyderabad’s transformation into an IT hub and viewed it as a sign of progressive growth,” she said.
‘She never lost touch with her Hyderabad roots’
Another cousin, Dr Rasia Nayeem Hashmi, senior journalist with Munsif daily, said Ghazala remained in constant contact with her relatives and was a source of inspiration during her studies. “In 2019, Ghazala’s victory over Glen Sturtevant was a significant win for Democrats in the Virginia legislature. She continues to be deeply attached to Hyderabad and often reminisces about her childhood and family bonds,” Rasia said.
