Meet Sarah Jukaku: The Karnataka connection behind first Muslim US Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed
The first Muslim elected to the US Senate has an Indian connection through his wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, whose family traces its roots to coastal Karnataka; her grandfather was a prominent lawyer and political figure
The victory of Abdul El-Sayed in the 2026 US midterm elections has brought a small coastal town in Karnataka into the international spotlight.
The connection is through his wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, whose family traces its ancestral roots to Bhatkal, around 140 km from Mangaluru.
El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's Senate race makes him the first Muslim ever elected to the US Senate.
His wife's Indian heritage adds another dimension to the historic result, drawing attention to her family's legacy in Karnataka.
Who is Sarah Jukaku?
A practising psychiatrist, Dr Sarah Jukaku was born and raised in Michigan. She met El-Sayed while both were studying at the University of Michigan.
According to reports, the couple got engaged when El-Sayed was a freshman and married in 2006.
Sarah has been actively involved in her husband's political journey and played a role in his 2026 Senate campaign.
At one of his campaign rallies, she offered a humorous glimpse into their relationship, telling the audience, "Nobody tells him what to do except me."
The couple has two daughters, Emmalee and Serene.
A family legacy rooted in Bhatkal
Sarah's father, Dr Tayeb Jukaku, is a nephrologist who grew up in Bhatkal before moving to the United States after completing his medical education in India.
Her grandfather, Jukaku Shamshuddin, was a prominent lawyer, educationist and political figure from the region. He served as deputy minister for finance in the erstwhile Mysore State government under then Chief Minister B.D. Jatti.
He is also remembered for his contributions to Bhatkal's development and was regarded as one of the first lawyers from the region.
The family's historical connection to public service has now drawn renewed attention following El-Sayed's election victory.
'I might be more Indian than Arab': El-Sayed's desi connection
El-Sayed has frequently spoken about his familiarity with Indian culture, crediting his marriage into a South Indian family for the connection.
In an interview, he joked about his two decades of marriage, saying, "Listen, I've been married in a South Indian family for 20 years, like... I am well inducted now. You know, I might be more Indian than I am Arab."
In another interaction with reporters, he described his family life by saying he was "surrounded by desi women", referring to his Indian-origin wife and their two daughters.
Bhatkal celebrates a historic US election victory
El-Sayed's victory has sparked celebrations among members of the Jukaku family and residents of Karnataka's Bhatkal and neighbouring areas.
Residents expressed pride that someone connected to their town through family ties had reached one of the highest elected legislative positions in the United States.
"We wish him all the very best. It's a proud moment for all of us, that too from Jukaku family contesting for an important post in US," a local resident told American Bazaar.
With El-Sayed set to enter the US Senate, his wife's ancestral connection has put Bhatkal on the international map, turning a historic American political milestone into a moment of celebration for a family and its roots in coastal Karnataka.
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