Nimarata Nikki Haley, formerly known as Nikki Randhawa, is an American politician who served as the governor of South Carolina and the United States ambassador to the United Nations.
She was the first Indian American to be a part of a presidential cabinet.
Haley was born to Sikh parents from Punjab, India, in Bamberg, South Carolina, in 1972. Her father, Ajit Singh Randhawa, was a former professor at Punjab Agricultural University, and her mother, Raj Kaur Randhawa, earned her law degree from the University of Delhi.
Haley’s family moved to Canada before settling in South Carolina, where her mother started a popular clothing boutique.
Haley was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2004 and served three terms. During her third term, she was elected as the governor of South Carolina in 2010, making her the first female governor of the state and the youngest governor in the country.
She was also the first female American governor of Asian American heritage. She served as the governor until 2017, winning re-election in 2014.
Haley was appointed as the United States ambassador to the United Nations in 2017, where she affirmed the country’s willingness to use military force in response to North Korean missile tests.
She also led the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council and defended U.S. interests, particularly its support of Israel, at the Security Council.
Haley is a candidate in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primary for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. She announced her campaign in February 2023.
Haley’s political career began when she joined her family’s clothing business before serving as treasurer and then president of the National Association of Women Business Owners. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in accounting in 1994.
Nikki Haley Children
Nikki Haley is a mother of two children, Rena Haley and Nalin Hale.
Rena Haley is the oldest child of Nikki Haley, born on June 8, 1998, in the United States of America.
Nalin Hale is the other child of Nikki Haley, born on September 6, 2001.
Aiva Arthur
