The United States Senator Kamala Harris formally accepted the nomination as Democratic Vice Presidential candidate for US Elections 2020 on August 20, at the Democratic National Convention. It was a major political event, held virtually amid the pandemic. The senator from California, Harris made history when selected as Biden’s running mate last week, making her the first black woman on a majority party’s White House ticket. In her Democratic National Convention Speech, she accused President Donald Trump of turning “our tragedies into political weapons.” But there is something else in her speech that stood out—especially among her Indian-American voters. Harris used the Tamil word, ‘Chithi,’ and hearing it, the internet cannot keep calm. So, what does it mean?

In her speech, Harris said she was “committed to the values,” that her mother, an immigrant from India, had taught her. “She raised us to be proud, strong Black women,” the senator said about her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who died of cancer in 2009. During her extraordinary speech, Harris used the word ‘Chithis,’ which send extra enthusiasm among her Indian-Americana and Tamilians watching from around the world. It was probably the first time someone spoke Tamil during US democratic speech. And her followers just went crazy tweeting about how proud they feel hearing the Tamil word in an address.

When Kamala Harris Said 'Chithis'

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So, what does the word, ‘Chithi’ mean? For non-Tamilians, ‘Chithi’ means mother’s younger sister or father’s younger brother’s wife or father’s second wife in Tamil—an aunt.

Kamala Harris Accepts the Nomination for Vice President Candidate in the US

55-year-old, Harris is the second Black woman ever to serve in the US Senate and is the first Black and first Asian American nominee for Vice President by a major political party. If elected, she will also be the first female Vice President in US history.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2020 10:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).