behind every Trailblazer lies a story of inspiration and strength today we uncover the remarkable journey of shamala gopalan the pioneering scientist devoted mother and the woman who shaped the life of the United States Vice President Cala Harris welcome back to Trend wve news TV I am Anthony in today's newscast we're exploring the life of shamala gopalan a woman whose contributions to science and Society have left an delible mark on the world we'll Explore her early life in India groundbreaking career in biomed science and the profound influence she had on her daughters camela and Maya Harris stay tuned to discover the inspiring story of resilience ambition and Legacy we will start by looking at her early life roots of resilience shamala gopalan was born on December 7th 1938 in Madras British India known today as chenai Tamil Nadu growing up in a time of significant change shamala was nurtured in a family that valued education and Progressive thinking her father PV gopalan was a respected civil servant who climbed the ranks from a stenographer to a high ranking official in the Imperial and later Central Secretariat service her mother rajam was a supportive and forward-thinking woman who expected her children to pursue prestigious careers in medicine engineering or law Beyond academics shamala was a gifted singer of cartic Music a classical music form from Southern India as a teenager she won a national competition showcasing her talent and dedication from an early age let us now turn our attention to her education breaking boundaries shamala pursued a Bachelor of Science in Home Science at lady Irwin College University of Delhi however her Ambitions extended far beyond traditional expectations at just 19 years old shamala made a bold move that would change her life forever she applied and was accepted into the master's program in nutrition and endocrinology at the prestigious University of California Berkeley imagine this in 1958 a young woman from India traveled over 8,000 M to pursue higher educ education in a foreign country a journey that required immense courage and determination despite Financial constraints shamal's parents used their retirement savings to support her first year abroad communicating through aags due to the lack of a phone line at home her hard work and perseverance paid off when she earned her PhD in nutrition and endocrinology from UC Berkeley in 1964 her dissertation focused on isolating and purifying a tripin inhibitor from whole wheat flour a study that would pave the way for her future research we will now look at her pioneering career in biomed science shamal's career was nothing short of extraordinary she conducted groundbreaking research in UC Berkeley's Department of zoology and cancer research lab focusing on breast cancer a field that at the time had limited female representation over the years she contributed significantly to several esteemed institutions dedicating over 16 years to the lady Davis Institute and McGill University before spending her last decade at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory her research led to significant advancements in understanding the role of hormones in breast cancer notably her work in isolating and characterizing the progesterone receptor Gene in mice revolutionized how scientists approach hormon responsive breast tissue breast cancer affects one in eight women globally shamal's research contributed to treatments that have increased survival rates by approximately 20% over the past few decades consider this breast cancer affects one in eight women worldwide shamal's pioneering work has contributed to treatments and therapies that have improved survival rates by around 20% impacting millions of lives and advancing Medical Science exponentially Beyond her research shamala was a dedicated Mentor guiding dozens of students who have gone on to make their own significant contributions to science let us now look at her personal life love activism and motherhood it was at UC Berkeley amid the vibrant atmosphere of social change that shamala met Donald J Harris a gr uate student from Jamaica specializing in economics their meeting at an afroamerican association event sparked a connection built on shared intellect and passion for justice in 1963 they married defying conventional Norms by foregoing traditional introductions and ceremonies shamala and Donald had two daughters camela and Maya Harris whom they raised with a strong sense of identity Justice and ambition the family traveled extensively including visits to newly independent Zambia where shamal's father was on assignment and regular trips to shenai to connect with their Indian Heritage these experiences enriched camela and Maya's understanding of the world and their place within it after shamala and Donald's divorce in the early 1970s shamala became a single mother balancing her demanding career with raising her daughters she instilled in them the values of hard work education and social justice shamal's compassion extended Beyond her family when kamala's high school friend wand Kagan faced abuse at home shamala didn't hesitate to offer her shelter and support demonstrating her unwavering commitment to helping others her Legacy and impact shamal's influence is profoundly evident in her daughter's accomplishments camela Harris has often spoken about her mother's impact on her life credit ing shamala for her strength determination and dedication to Public Service camela Harris's statement about her mother my mother would look at me and she'd say camela you may be the first to do many things but make sure you're not the last these words reflect the essence of shala's teachings Paving the way for future generations and breaking barriers for others to follow in the scientific realm shamal's research continues to inform and Inspire ongoing studies in breast cancer treatment her dedication and breakthroughs have saved countless lives and will continue to do so for Generations we will now turn our attention to her farewell and commemoration on February 11th 2009 shamala gopalan passed away in Oakland at the age of 70 after battling colon cancer honoring her Heritage and wishes camela Harris carried her mother's Ashes to chenai dispersing them into the Indian Ocean a poignant return to her Roots her passing was not just a loss to her family but to the global community that benefited from her life's work donations were made to breast cancer action in her memory continuing her Legacy of fighting against the disease she dedicated her career to understanding as we conclude this presentation shamala gopalan's story is one of Courage intellect and unwavering determination from her Beginnings in India to her Monumental achievements in science and the nurturing of Future Leaders her Legacy is a testament to the profound impact one individual can have on the world let her story Inspire us to pursue our passions fearlessly support others generously and strive for excellence in all that we do a quote from shamala do something Kamala don't just sit there and complain about things do something thank you for joining us on this journey through shamala gopalan's extraordinary life if you found this newscast inspiring give it a thumbs up and share it with others who could use a dose of motivation today be sure to click on the links in the description to see recent newscasts about Donald Harris cela's father don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more stories that Inspire and Empower until next time stay curious ious and keep learning please check out and utilize the links in the description down below