Long before Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of Ohio Senator and Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, rose to prominence, her 96-year-old grand aunt, Chilukuri Santhamma, had become a household name in Andhra Pradesh. Despite her advanced age, Santhamma continues to teach as a physics professor at a private university in Vizianagaram.
Beyond her academic pursuits, she is a philanthropist who donated her house in Visakhapatnam to Vivekanand Medical Trust to run a clinic; it will soon be turned into a hospital.
When informed that GOP presidential candidate Trump had picked Usha’s husband as his running mate, Santhamma expressed her joy for her granddaughter. “Usha is the granddaughter of Rama Sastry, my husband Subramanya Sastry’s eldest brother. I am happy she has inherited the sharp intellect and acumen that runs in our family. Both my husband and his elder brother (Usha’s grandfather) served as university professors. Our family also holds deep societal concerns. My husband, in fact, spent two years in jail during the Emergency as he was an RSS worker,” Santhamma told TOI.
She conveyed her blessings to Usha and expressed optimism for her husband’s success. “It is a proud moment for the family. I desire to see them contribute to India once they win the election. Additionally, I hope they will propagate the profound philosophies of Hinduism in the US,” she added. When asked about her commitment to teaching at the age of 96, she said: “As long as you are healthy, you must dedicate yourself to do good for society,” she said.
Santhamma joined Andhra University in Visakhapatnam as a lecturer in 1956 and retired in 1989. But she continues to be an honorary faculty member. Her expertise in atomic and molecular spectroscopy has garnered her widespread acclaim. Beyond physics, she delves into the depths of the Puranas, Vedas, and Upanishads.
Her literary achievements include “Bhagavad Gita – The Divine Directive”, an English interpretation of Bhagavad Gita slokas. Despite knee surgeries and reliance on crutches, she commutes 60 km each way from Vizag to Vizianagaram to teach at Centurion University.
Beyond her academic pursuits, she is a philanthropist who donated her house in Visakhapatnam to Vivekanand Medical Trust to run a clinic; it will soon be turned into a hospital.
When informed that GOP presidential candidate Trump had picked Usha’s husband as his running mate, Santhamma expressed her joy for her granddaughter. “Usha is the granddaughter of Rama Sastry, my husband Subramanya Sastry’s eldest brother. I am happy she has inherited the sharp intellect and acumen that runs in our family. Both my husband and his elder brother (Usha’s grandfather) served as university professors. Our family also holds deep societal concerns. My husband, in fact, spent two years in jail during the Emergency as he was an RSS worker,” Santhamma told TOI.
She conveyed her blessings to Usha and expressed optimism for her husband’s success. “It is a proud moment for the family. I desire to see them contribute to India once they win the election. Additionally, I hope they will propagate the profound philosophies of Hinduism in the US,” she added. When asked about her commitment to teaching at the age of 96, she said: “As long as you are healthy, you must dedicate yourself to do good for society,” she said.
Santhamma joined Andhra University in Visakhapatnam as a lecturer in 1956 and retired in 1989. But she continues to be an honorary faculty member. Her expertise in atomic and molecular spectroscopy has garnered her widespread acclaim. Beyond physics, she delves into the depths of the Puranas, Vedas, and Upanishads.
Her literary achievements include “Bhagavad Gita – The Divine Directive”, an English interpretation of Bhagavad Gita slokas. Despite knee surgeries and reliance on crutches, she commutes 60 km each way from Vizag to Vizianagaram to teach at Centurion University.