Ghazala Hashmi takes oath on Holy Quran as Virginia Governor

Ghazala Hashmi made history by taking the oath of office on the Holy Quran as Virginia’s first Indian American Lieutenant Governor, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected to a statewide office in the United States, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.

The historic oath-taking ceremony was held on January 17 at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, where Hashmi placed her hand on the Quran as her husband and daughters looked on. The oath of office was administered by Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Cleo Powell.

Hashmi, 61, a Democrat, defeated Republican candidate John Reid in the November 2025 election. She succeeds Winsome Earle-Sears and will serve as President of the Virginia Senate, presiding over its legislative proceedings.

“Today, I was incredibly honoured to take my Oath of Office as the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of Virginia,” Hashmi said in a post on X following her inauguration. She added that she looked forward to working with Governor Abigail Spanberger and the administration to build a Commonwealth focused on affordability, opportunity, dignity, and justice.

Born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964, Hashmi spent her early childhood in the Malakpet area before moving to the United States at the age of four. She is the first person of Hyderabad-born Indian descent to win a statewide office in Virginia.

The daughter of Indian immigrants, Hashmi credits her parents with instilling in her the values of education and civic responsibility. Hashmi spent decades teaching at Virginia’s community colleges, where she became a respected advocate for students, faculty members, and workforce development initiatives.