Who Is Ghazala Hashmi? First Indian-Origin, Muslim Lt Governor Of Virginia

Democrat Ghazala Hashmi has been elected lieutenant governor of Virginia, defeating Republican John Reid. The victory marks a historic moment, as Hashmi becomes the first Indian-origin and the first Muslim woman to hold this position. Earlier, she also became the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to be elected to the Virginia Senate, representing the 15th Senatorial District. Her latest win means her Senate seat will now need to be filled through a special election.

According to information available on Hashmi’s official website, she is an experienced educator and an advocate of inclusive values and social justice. Her legislative priorities focus on public education, voting rights and the preservation of democracy, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, environmental protection, housing, and affordable healthcare access.

Hashmi was born in Hyderabad in 1964 to Zia Hashmi and Tanveer Hashmi. She spent her early childhood at her maternal grandparents’ home in Malakpet. As per her official profile, at the age of four she emigrated to the United States with her mother and older brother, joining her father in Georgia. Hashmi’s father had moved earlier to complete his PhD in international relations and was beginning his university teaching career.

Professor Zia Hashmi is an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University with an MA and LL. B., and a PhD in International Relations from the University of South Carolina. He went on to found and serve as the Director of the Centre for International Studies. Her mother, Tanveer Hashmi, holds a BA and B.Ed., having studied at Osmania University’s Women’s College in Kothi.

After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class and receiving multiple full scholarships and fellowships, Hashmi completed her BA with honours from Georgia Southern University and earned her PhD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.

Hashmi and her husband, Azhar, moved to the Richmond area in 1991. She spent close to 30 years as a professor, initially at the University of Richmond and later at Reynolds Community College. While at Reynolds, she also served as the founding director of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). The couple has two adult daughters, both graduates of Chesterfield County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.

Hashmi first entered elected office in November 2019 when she defeated a Republican incumbent, delivering a majority to the Democrats for the first time in years. Her victory, according to the information provided, “shocked the political establishment.” In 2024, she was appointed Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, reflecting the confidence her Democratic colleagues placed in her. The key leadership role put her in charge of major priorities for the party, including reproductive freedom and public education.