A timeline of US Vice President candidate JD Vance and his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri’s lovestory

Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s announcement about his preferred Vice President may have suddenly thrown JD Vance into the limelight, but Mr Vance has been (moderately) famous for a while now. In fact, he already has a Netflix original based on his autobiography!

From being a “never a Trump guy” and finding him “reprehensible” to running for the position of Vice President on the Republican party ticket with Trump, JD Vance has come a long way in his political career. Amid the fresh wave of interest and scrutiny, his past, including the romantic bits, has also come to light.
His wife Usha Vance, nee Chilukuri, embodies a unique blend of Indian cultural heritage and American legal acumen. Born to Indian immigrants, her upbringing in San Diego, California, was steeped in values of education and hard work, she has said herself. These foundational principles guided her academic pursuits at Yale University, where she excelled both as a scholar and as a leader, holding prestigious editorial roles at prominent law journals.

A Yale fairytale

Usha served as the managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology and the Executive Development Editor of The Yale Law Journal, and this is where she first crossed paths with JD Vance around 2010.
While it was their intellectual journeys that intertwined first, their connection deepened as they organised discussions on the social challenges facing white America in 2013.

A year later, after graduating from law school, Vance and Chilukuri got married in 2014, as per the Sun.
In 2016, he published what would go on to become his bestselling autobiography called HillBilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. As per Vance, the memoir is about “what goes on in the lives of real people when the industrial economy goes south” and details the “social isolation, poverty, and addiction that afflict poor white communities.”
The autobiography also talks about Vance’s complicated childhood, and his mother and grandfather’s addictions, among other things. It details how he joined the Marines and was barely able to afford college. As mentioned before, you can watch the 2020 movie Hillbilly Elegy based on the book on Netflix. The film has actors like Gabriel Basso and Freida Pinto in titular roles.

In this memoir, JD Vance credits Usha as his "Yale spirit guide," highlighting her pivotal role in shaping his intellectual pursuits and encouraging him to explore uncharted opportunities.

Hot on the success of his memoir, Vance and Usha welcomed their first child in 2017. This was followed by two other children in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Present-day Vance and Usha

As for the present day, JD Vance is a top nominee for Vice President of the United States should Trump win the elections. Usha Vance, who will become the second lady of the country in this scenario, is currently a litigator at the prestigious law firm Munger, Tolles, & Olson. With practices in San Francisco and Washington DC, Usha is licensed to practice law in California, Ohio, and the District of Columbia.

As JD Vance now steps into the national political arena, Usha's influence is poised to extend further. Her understanding of both American and Indian cultures positions her uniquely to foster international relations, a role that could prove invaluable in navigating the complexities of global diplomacy.
Recently, Usha Vance spoke candidly about her husband's journey and their shared values in an interview, offering a glimpse into the personal motivations driving their public endeavours. Reflecting on JD Vance's relentless work ethic and creative vision, she underscored his commitment to making a positive impact — a commitment that resonates deeply with her own upbringing and values.