Who is JD Vance's Wife? Know About US Second Lady Born in Hindu Family in Andhra Pradesh

The Vice President of the United States (US) James David, popularly known as J.D. Vance is currently on India's visit along with his wife, Usha Vance, and their three children, Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. This high-profile visit has brought renewed focus on Usha Vance's rich Indian heritage, rooted in her Hindu upbringing, while also drawing attention to the couple's considerable wealth and assets.

Usha Vance's Indian Roots: From Andhra Pradesh to California

Usha Vance, whose complete name is Usha Chilukuri is of Indian origin. Her family traces its roots to the Southern Indian state Andhra Pradesh. Her parents moved from Andhra Pradesh to the United States in the late 1970s and settled in California.

Mrs. Vance was born and raised in the working-class suburbs of San Diego. She studied history at Yale University and later went to Cambridge University as a Gates Scholar, where she earned an MPhil in early modern history.

IIT Madras: Usha Vance's Family's Academic Influence on India's Premier Institute

Her father is a mechanical engineer, and her mother is a molecular biologist. Both her father and grandfather have strong academic ties to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Her grandfather, Ramasastry Chilukuri, was one of the early faculty members at IIT Madras when it was set up in 1959. Today, an IIT student award is named in his memory.

Usha Vance, "My Hindu Parents Made Them Good People, I've Seen the Power in My Life"

"My parents are Hindu, and that was one of the things that made them such good parents, that makes them very good people. I have seen the power of that in my own life," Usha Chilukuri Vance told Fox News.

Usha also has a younger sister who works as a mechanical engineer in San Diego. One of her aunts is a doctor in Chennai. Her family originally hails from a village called Vadduru in Andhra Pradesh but later shifted to Chennai.

How Usha Met JD Vance?

Usha met JD Vance in 2010 while both were students at Yale Law School. They connected through a discussion group on social issues in white America. JD Vance later wrote about their story in his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy. The book was turned into a Netflix film in 2020, where actress Freida Pinto played a character inspired by Usha.

Vance described Usha as a "genetic anomaly" in his book, praising her intelligence and personality. He even confessed to telling her he loved her after just one date, saying he "violated every rule of modern dating."

Usha built a successful legal career in the US. In 2015, she worked as a law clerk for US Chief Justice John Roberts. Later, she joined the well-known law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. There, she dealt with complex legal cases related to education, technology, entertainment, and local government. She stepped away from the firm after JD Vance became the Republican vice-presidential candidate.

US Vice President JD Vance and Wife's Net Worth and Assets

As for their financial standing, Forbes estimates JD Vance's net worth to be around $10 million. In 2014, the couple bought a home in Washington D.C. for $590,000, which is now worth about $850,000. In 2018, they purchased another home in Cincinnati's East Walnut Hills for $1.4 million, which is now valued at $1.8 million.

JD Vance earned $174,000 last year as a senator. Now, as vice president, his salary is $235,100 per year.

On 15 July 2024, Donald Trump picked him as his running mate for the presidential election. Two days later, JD Vance officially accepted the nomination, making history as the first Marine veteran on a presidential ticket.