'Desis' take Chicago: Kamala Harris' Indian American political family is thrilled

Those who have roots in India and other parts of South Asia gathered in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention .

Many expressed elation at the impending ascension of Kamala Harris as the party's presidential nominee.

The potential political breakthrough sits with particular joy for those with ancestry in South Asia .

There were fewer than 50 Indian and Asian Americans in elected office around the country in 2016 .

By 2024 , that number had increased to more than 300 .

Congress already boasts five members with South Asian roots.

Unlike earlier generations, Indian American candidates are running without Anglicizing their names.

But the 36-year-old from Lafayette , Calif. , said she feels hopeful in a way that takes her back to the first presidential election she voted in. “This may sound corny, but in 2008 with Obama , I had that sense of hope,” Sharma said. “Now, I am excited again — to be able to organize around a sense of hope.. and to feel that I am for something and not just against something.” Times Staff Writer Seema Mehta in Chicago contributed to this story. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times ..