photo credit instagramMangaluru: Michigan is one of the most closely watched battlegrounds in the US midterms, with the Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers drawing national and international attention. If elected, El-Sayed, a 42-year-old Democrat of Egyptian descent, would become the first Muslim US senator. The race has a personal resonance in coastal Karnataka: His wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, a psychiatrist, traces her roots to Bhatkal, about 140km from Mangaluru. She is the granddaughter of Jukaku Shamshuddin, who served as deputy minister for finance in Mysore State under chief minister BD Jatti.A Rhodes Scholar, El-Sayed met Sarah at the University of Michigan, where they were students. El-Sayed has also talked about his South Indian connection. “Listen, I’ve been married in a South Indian family for 20 years, like… I’m well inducted now. You know, I might be more Indian than I’m Arab,” he said in one interview.According to her cousin, the family is delighted to see Sarah and her husband in the political spotlight. Though the family traces its roots to Bhatkal, most members are now settled in Bengaluru, while Sarah’s immediate family has largely remained in the US.“Our grandfather, Jukaku Shamshuddin, made immense contributions to the development of Bhatkal, including bringing electricity to the town. He was the first lawyer from the region. Both Muslims and non-Muslims approached him with their cases and other issues,” her cousin said.Shamshuddin had 10 children, including four sons. Sarah is the daughter of Dr Tayeb Jukaku, who completed MBBS in Bengaluru before moving to the US.Her cousin said the family sees a lot in common between Shamshuddin and El-Sayed, particularly in their commitment to public service. “Though we’ve cousins who have been active in politics, as his immediate family, we are happy to see El-Sayed carry the qualities our grandfather stood for — especially, honesty and a desire to serve people,” he said.The family has a strong professional background in medicine and engineering, with many members pursuing careers in these fields. El-Sayed has a medical degree and is campaigning on Medicare for All. His proposal would allow private insurance options to continue, though he says they should become unnecessary.He recalled Dr Tayeb made a conscious effort to keep his children connected to their roots while they were growing up in the US. He ensured they visited Bengaluru and Bhatkal, helping them maintain their ties to the family’s hometown.A financial disclosure filed ahead of the Democratic primary listed a Bengaluru property owned by Sarah. “We have a WhatsApp group, and the family is really happy for the couple. We are closely following the political developments, too,” he said.
