Abdul El-Sayed’s wife Sarah Jukaku has Indian roots, family traces ancestry to Karnataka’s Bhatkal | Hindustan Times
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s US Senate race has drawn attention to his unexpected Indian connection through his wife, Sarah Jukaku. Sarah, a psychiatrist born and raised in Michigan, comes from an Indian-origin family whose roots trace back to Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district.
Sarah Jukaku is a psychiatrist who was born and raised in Michigan to Indian immigrant parents. (Getty Images via AFP)El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers, who was backed by US President Donald Trump, in Michigan’s Senate race. His victory has now drawn attention to his wife’s family background and her connection to India.
Sarah Jukaku is a psychiatrist who was born and raised in Michigan to Indian immigrant parents. Her father, Dr Tayeb Jukaku, is a nephrologist originally from Bhatkal. He completed his medical degree at Bengaluru Medical College before moving to the United States in the 1980s, according to Washington-based magazine The American Bazaar.
Sarah met El-Sayed at the University of Michigan, where both were students. She later pursued higher studies at the University of Oxford and earned her medical degree from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2015.
The couple married in May 2006 and have two daughters, Emmalee and Serene. They live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
El-Sayed has often spoken about his family’s Indian cultural connections, once joking about being surrounded by desi women throughout his life. “I’m like surrounded by desi women my whole life like I have two desi daughters and a desi wife,” he said in one conversation, as per the outlet.
He also spoke about his wife’s Indian ancestry while addressing a Pakistan Independence Day gathering organised by the Pakistan Association of America in Michigan on August 23. “My wife is desi. She’s from the other side of the partition line,” he said, referring to Jukaku’s Indian roots.
Speaking about his familiarity with South Indian culture after nearly two decades of marriage, El-Sayed said in another interview, “Listen, I’ve been married in a South Indian family for 20 years, like… I am well inducted now I… you know, I might be more Indian than I am Arab.”
According to The American Bazaar, Sarah’s family traces its roots to Bhatkal, located around 140 km from Mangaluru. Her grandfather, Jukaku Shamshuddin, was a prominent lawyer and political figure who served as deputy minister for finance in the erstwhile Mysore State under then chief minister BD Jatti.
Shamshuddin is remembered for his contribution to Bhatkal’s development, including efforts to bring electricity to the coastal town. He was reportedly also among the region's first lawyers, with people from different communities approaching him for legal assistance.
Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings. Before joining Hindustan Times, Bhavya worked with Republic World and NDTV, where she developed her skills in real-time reporting and digital storytelling. Working in fast-paced newsrooms helped her build an editorial approach that prioritises accuracy, clarity, and audience engagement. Bhavya is driven by a curiosity about how people communicate and connect in the digital age. She is particularly interested in stories that highlight cultural shifts, shared emotions, and the evolving nature of online conversations. When she is not tracking trends, Bhavya enjoys unplugging and spending time with her cat.Read More
