Relatives of Abdul El-Sayed in Karnataka celebrated his victory in Michigan, where he became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. In Bengaluru and Bhatkal, his wife Dr Sarah Jukaku's family recalled his visits to the coastal town, where he regularly attended weddings and family gatherings.
El-Sayed's family has maintained ties with Bhatkal for years. His father, Dr Sayed, often brought his children to the town to visit relatives and keep them connected to their ancestral roots.
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He and Sarah travelled to Bhatkal over a decade ago to attend a cousin's wedding, where they spent three to four days with their relatives. Family members recall him as a warm and approachable person who enjoyed engaging in meaningful conversations.
El-Sayed, fondly remembered by relatives for his visits to Bhatkal during family weddings, is more than just a political personality making headlines in the United States. To them, he is a familiar figure admired for his modesty and closely connected to a family tradition of public service.
Speaking to NDTV, Sarah's cousins, Jukaku Shamsuddin Zia and Bibi Husna, expressed immense joy and pride over her victory.
"We were all stressed with the counting and the campaigning that was going on. We were in touch with our uncle, who would tell us that they were busy campaigning. But by the grace of God, it has been a lovely victory," Husna said from Bhatkal.
The celebrations, however, were mostly conducted online. As family members were scattered across different parts of the world, WhatsApp groups became the primary platform for sharing congratulatory messages and keeping everyone updated.
Husna said she called her uncle after the results were announced, only to discover that celebrations were still in full swing at his house, with several relatives and guests gathered there.
"All of us are actually very happy, very elated," she said.
"He was very humble and very good. It was lovely to talk to him because he has so much knowledge and understanding, but at the same time, he is very mannered and never puts anybody down," Husna recalled, caalling Abdul El-Sayed "Damad of Karnataka".
Zia also recalled Abdul's love for Bhatkali cuisine, especially its distinctive biryani and traditional local dishes. He highlighted the region's signature chilli paste, known as ‘lonmiri', which lends its food a unique and characteristic flavour.
For Zia, a Bengaluru resident, the political achievement also evokes memories of his grandfather, the late JH Shamsuddin, who held a ministerial position in the former Mysore State.
He draws strong parallels between his grandfather and Abdul, particularly in their dedication to public service and unwavering personal integrity.
"The two things I find very similar between my grandfather and Abdul El-Sayed are their honesty and clean personalities, and their deep yearning to serve people for the cause of truth. They are straightforward personalities. There is nothing two-faced about them," he said.
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For the extended family in Bhatkal, the achievement has brought their hometown into the international spotlight. As Husna noted, the connection between a major political victory thousands of miles away and their roots back home has made the world feel much closer.
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