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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
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People File • Activist

Lakshmi Chilukuri

Lakshmi N.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Lakshmi N. Chilukuri is an Indian-American microbiologist and academic administrator at the University of California, San Diego. She is also known as the mother of Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States.

Background

Chilukuri was born in 1961 in India and later moved to the United States. She is married to Radhakrishna 'Krish' Chilukuri, an aerospace engineering professor, and has two daughters, Shreya and Usha.

Career and contributions

She serves as Provost of Sixth College and a Teaching Professor in Biological Sciences at UC San Diego, with work focused on undergraduate biology education, curriculum development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Family and public attention

Through her daughter Usha, she became the mother-in-law of U.S. Vice President JD Vance. This family connection drew media attention in 2024–2025, particularly amid debates over DEI policy, though sources do not report a direct controversy involving her.

In short

  • Microbiologist and teaching professor at UC San Diego.
  • Provost of Sixth College since 2018.
  • Involved in undergraduate biology education and DEI initiatives.
  • Mother of Usha Vance, wife of JD Vance.

Quick questions

Who is Lakshmi Chilukuri?
Lakshmi Chilukuri is an Indian-American microbiologist, educator, and UC San Diego administrator who serves as Provost of Sixth College and a teaching professor.
How old is Lakshmi Chilukuri?
She was born in 1961, making her about 65 in 2026.
What is she known for?
She is known for leadership in undergraduate biology education and DEI initiatives, and for being the mother of Usha Vance and mother-in-law of JD Vance.

Sources

  1. CBS News — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-dei-mother-in-law-lakshmi-chilukuri/
    Supports: Identifies Lakshmi Chilukuri as provost of UC San Diego's Sixth College and JD Vance's mother-in-law.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi_Chilukuri
    Supports: Provides birth year, academic role, family details, and summary of career.
  3. LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakshmi-chilukuri-01b0a536
    Supports: Unverified profile result; not used for key factual claims.
  4. Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q130753310
    Supports: Lists name, role, and birth date year information.
  5. NRI Pulse — https://nripulse.com/who-is-jd-vances-mother-in-law-dr-lakshmi-chilukuri/
    Supports: States she was appointed Sixth College provost in 2018 and discusses her DEI-related work.