NEW DELHI: With Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on the brink of scripting history, her maternal uncle Gopalan Balachandran on Wednesday said he spoke to her ahead of the inauguration in Washington and told her to "keep doing what you do" without getting bothered by others.
Delhi-based Balachandran said he was feeling "proud and hearty", and asserted that the new US administration led by President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Harris will also signify the beginning of a "period of course correction".
Joe Biden is all set to be sworn-in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday.
Harris, 56, who is of Indian origin, will carve a name for herself in the history books when she will be sworn-in as the first-ever woman vice president of the US at the august ceremony of the inauguration.
She would also be the first Indian-origin, first Black and first South Asian American vice president of the country.
"I am feeling very hearty and happy for my niece, and she has earned this historic moment," Balachandran said.
Describing the recent storming of the US Capitol by protestors as "unfortunate", he also asserted that the "Biden-Harris administration would signify the beginning of a period of course correction".
Asked, if he has spoken to her ahead of the inauguration ceremony, he told PTI, "Yes, I did speak to her, and all I told her to keep doing what she does, and not get bothered by what others say. She is also feeling very happy and elated as she prepares to assume the mantle of a US vice president."
When Harris's nomination as the vice-presidential candidate was announced in last August, her uncle had described it a "historic moment" but had said that it was not a surprise at all.
Balachandran had also said that she would script many firsts if she won and had expressed the hope that her top-level position would give Indians in the US "greater access" in interacting with the American administration.
"I again told her to think what will Shyamala say", 79-year Balachandran said, remembering his late sister, Harris's mother.
Talking about his sister and their family, Balachandran said she was an achiever who finished her PhD at 25 in the US.
"She (Shyamala) did her bachelor's from the Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, and went to the US. Shyamala made us proud and now my niece has," said Balachandran, who himself earned his PhD in economics and computer science from the University of Wisconsin.
Continuing where her mother left off perhaps, Harris, too, participated in apartheid protests during her college days at the Howard University.
Balachandran also outlined the two major challenges for the new US administration, COVID-19 management and employment relief for people affected by the economy.
"Biden has already said that he would ensure 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations in the first 100 days of his administration. So, that is good. The second major challenge would be on the economy front," he said.
Biden, early December, had said that in the first 100 days of his administration, he would mandate everyone to wear a mask, ensure 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations and reopen the majority of schools, and assured Americans that his "crisis-tested" team of experts will deliver better healthcare and revive the economy.
The US is in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has infected almost 15 million Americans and killed 2,86,000.
Globally, there are 68.2 million COVID-19 cases and the pandemic has claimed more than 1.5 million lives.
Grand preparations are underway for the inauguration ceremony in Washington.
During his short speech before leaving for Washington, Biden became emotional with tears rolling down his face.
"This is kind of emotional," Biden said as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"It's deeply personal that our journey to Washington starts here," he said, talking about the national guard building named after his son Beau.
Biden said that 12 years ago Barack Obama, a Black man, greeted him at the train platform before he became his vice president, and now he departs to "meet a Black woman of South Asian descent" to become president and vice president.