As America's Second Lady Usha Vance increasingly steps into the public eye alongside her husband, US Vice President JD Vance, she is making headlines not just for her poised presence at official events, but also for the deeply resonating story she represents — that of a first-generation Indian-American woman rising to one of the highest social positions in the United States. During her recent India visit along with husband Vance and her three children, Usha charmed everyone with her grace and simplicity. So much so that the Vice President remarked how his wife has achieved celebrity status in India.
From state dinners to diplomatic visits, including a recent official trip to India, Usha has become a visible part of the Vance administration, even as she avoids the spotlight wherever possible.
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Usha Vance's success as the US Second Lady is a source of great pride in India, particularly among her relatives in Andhra Pradesh. Her great-grand-aunt and physics professor Chilukuri Santhamma attribute her achievements to a distinguished family background and consider her rise in a foreign country extraordinary.
But behind her high-profile role is a deeply rooted family story — one shaped by immigration, education, and quiet excellence. That same story includes a sister who has chosen a very different path, yet one equally impressive: Shreya Chilukuri, a top engineer working on some of the most advanced technologies in the world today. Brilliance runs in the family as the Second Lady's sister has carved her path in her own way. Vance sisters are rooted to their culture, and amazing everyone with their unique talent.
Usha Vance (maiden name: Usha Chilukuri) was born and raised in the working-class suburbs of San Diego, California. Her parents, Radhakrishna “Krish” Chilukuri and Dr. Lakshmi Chilukuri, emigrated from India to the United States in the late 1970s. The family traces its roots to Vadduru village in Andhra Pradesh, India, though they later moved to Chennai when Usha’s grandfather, Ramasastry Chilukuri, became one of the founding physics professors at IIT Madras, as per
Reuters.
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Her father, Krish, is a mechanical engineer who has taught at San Diego State University, while her mother, Lakshmi, is a respected molecular biologist who currently serves as the Provost of Sixth College at UC San Diego. Usha once shared that she was raised in a Hindu household, adding, “My parents are Hindu and that is one of the things that made them such good parents, that made them really good people.”
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While Usha now stands at the heart of political life, her younger sister, Shreya Chilukuri, has taken a different route, making waves in the world of engineering and defence without ever stepping in front of a camera.
A 2012 graduate of Duke University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Shreya combined her technical acumen with a passion for the humanities, studying classical civilisations alongside advanced propulsion technologies.