When Kamala Harris scripted history as first woman to hold US Presidential power in 250 years

Washington, Dec 18: History was scripted when Kamala Harris briefly held the office of acting President, when President Joe Biden was under anaesthesia for a routine colonoscopy.

Harris, the first woman, first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to be Vice President of the US, was for one hour and 25 minutes acting president while Biden was under anesthesia.

This made her the first woman to hold Presidential power in the country for the first time in 250 years.

While serving as acting president Harris was working from her office in the West Wing.

"Biden was keenly aware of the history he was making when he selected Harris to be his running mate," WHite House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, adding that she "made history every day on the job". Psaki added, "Today was certainly another chapter in that history I think that will be noted for women, young girls across the country."

Harris is known for many firsts. She has been a county district attorney; the district attorney for San Francisco - the first woman and first African-American and Indian-origin to be elected to the position. During the Obama era, she was popularly called the "female Obama".

She is considered to be close to Barack Obama, the first black American President, who endorsed her in her various elections including that of the US Senate in 2016.

Harris was born to two immigrant parents: a Black father and an Indian mother. Her father, Donald Harris, was from Jamaica, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist from Chennai. She, however, defines herself simply as American'.

On being appointed as Vice President of US, Biden had said that he would be honoured to be serving with Harris, who will make history as the first woman, first Black woman, first woman of South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country.

Harris became the top prosecutor for San Francisco in 2003, before being elected the first woman and the first black person to serve as California's attorney general in 2010, the top lawyer in America's most populous state.