From Malakpet to Virginia: Hyderabad-born Ghazala Hashmi elected Virginia’s Lt Governor

Hyderabad: Ghazala Firdous Hashmi, who traces her roots to Hyderabad’s Malakpet, has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-origin, first South Asian American, and first Muslim woman to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of the US state of Virginia.

The 61-year-old Democrat defeated Republican John Reid to secure the historic win, six years after her trailblazing entry into the Virginia State Senate.

She will succeed Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the first woman to hold the post.

From Malakpet to the American political mainstream

Born in 1964 to Tanveer and Zia Hashmi, Ghazala spent her early childhood at her maternal grandparents’ home in Malakpet, Hyderabad. Her grandfather worked with the Finance Department of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government.

At the age of four, Ghazala, along with her mother and brother, moved to the United States to join her father, who was pursuing a PhD in international relations in Georgia.

Her formative years in a small American college town exposed her to the challenges of racial integration, shaping her lifelong commitment to inclusivity and dialogue across divides.

Academic journey and teaching career

Ghazala completed her schooling at the Marvin Pittman Laboratory School at Georgia Southern University, where her father and uncle were professors of political science.

She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in American Literature from Emory University, Atlanta.

After moving to Richmond, Virginia, in 1991 with her husband, Azhar, Ghazala spent nearly three decades as an educator, first at the University of Richmond and later at Reynolds Community College, where she founded and led the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

The couple has two daughters, both graduates of the University of Virginia.

Political journey sparked by Trump’s travel ban

Ghazala’s entry into politics was inspired by the 2017 travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations during Donald Trump’s presidency. Motivated to champion inclusion and equality, she ran for office and, in 2019, defeated incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant to become the first Muslim-American and Indian-American woman elected to the Virginia State Senate.

As a state senator, Hashmi has championed issues such as public education, healthcare access, reproductive freedom, environmental justice, and affordable housing. In 2024, she was appointed Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, a key position overseeing two major Democratic priorities.

Hyderabad Rejoices: KTR’s congratulatory message

BRS Working President KT Rama Rao congratulated Hashmi on her victory, calling it a moment of pride for Hyderabad and India.

“This is massive! From Malakpet to Virginia. Congratulations to Ghazala Hashmi on becoming the first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. There is nothing more beautiful than democracies celebrating the world’s diversity,” KTR posted on X.

A voice for inclusive governance

Ghazala Hashmi’s journey, from a Hyderabad childhood to the corridors of American power, embodies the spirit of cross-cultural leadership and civic inclusion. Her rise marks not only a personal triumph but also a significant moment in the continuing story of immigrant representation in US politics.