Sir Ganga Ram's great granddaughter vows to continue his legacy as a US senator

Kesha Ram, Sir Ganga Ram’s great-granddaughter, who was sworn in as a US senator earlier this month, paid tribute to the father of modern Lahore after she became the first elected woman of colour in the Vermont state’s Senate.

Taking to the micro-blogging website, the US Consulate General Lahore felicitated her, “The father of modern Lahore, Sir Ganga Ram’s great-granddaughter Kesha Ram has become the State Senator of Vermont USA.

“She was sworn in on January 6 and wore shalwar kameez during the swearing-in ceremony. Good luck for your endeavours, Kesha!”

Kesha is an Indian civil engineer, architect, and a philanthropist, who is the great-granddaughter of famous philanthropist Rai Bahadur Sir Ganga Ram. He was hailed as ‘the father of modern Lahore’ thanks to his extensive contributions to the urban fabric of Lahore.

He is credited with building a network of health infrastructures in India and Pakistan before the partition.

Responding to the tweet by the US Consulate General Lahore about her great grandfather, the Vermont Senator thanked people for helping her understand his great legacy in philanthropic work for women and education. 

She tweeted, “I was told that people in Lahore say a prayer for my great-grandfather daily. I didn’t understand his impact, particularly in health care and women’s education, until that day. Thank you all for helping me understand his legacy so I can continue it.”

Kesha was born to Mukul Ram who shifted to the US during the late 1960s for his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduating from the University of Vermont in 2008, she won a seat the same year at the Vermont House as the country’s youngest legislator at 21.