Early Life:
Ghazala Hashmi was born in Hyderabad in 1964. He spent her childhood with her grandparents in Malakpet. She was four years old when she and her brother left for America with their mother to join his father in Georgia.
Ghazala Hashmi’s Father:
Her father’s name was Professor Zia Hashmi. Zia Hashmi graduated from Aligarh Muslim University. He did an MA and an LLB from there. He completed his PHD in International Relations from the University of South Carolina, and he selected teaching as a profession. He is retired now, and at the time of retirement, he was the Director of the Centre for International Studies.
Ghazala Hashmi’s Mother:
Ghazala’s mother’s name is Tanveer Hashmi. She is B.A, B.E.D. She completed her studies at Osmania University’s Women’s College in Kothi.
Ghazala Hashmi’s Education:
Ghazala Hashmi was a topper of her high school and received multiple full scholarship and fellowships. She did a BA with honors from Georgia Southern University and PHD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.
Ghazala Hashmi is married to Azhar Rafiq, and the couple have two daughters –Yasmin and Noor. Both girls graduated from Chesterfield County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.
Ghazala Hashmi began her career as a teacher and stayed in this profession for almost 30 years. Initially, she started teaching at the University of Richmond, and then she taught at Reynolds Community College.
Ghazala Hashmi elected as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor
Earlier on Wednesday, Ghazala Hashmi was elected as the new Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. She secured 1,272,699 votes, defeating her Republican rival John Reed, who received 1,043,090 votes.
Senator Ghazala Hashmi, who contested the lieutenant governor’s race, is the first Muslim and South Asian American woman to serve in the Virginia Senate.
A seasoned educator and advocate for inclusivity and social justice, Hashmi’s legislative priorities include public education, voting rights, protection of democracy, reproductive freedom, prevention of gun violence, environmental sustainability, affordable housing, and accessible healthcare.
