GHAZIABAD: Over the past couple of weeks, candidates of several political parties have passed by Haider house in Sanjay Nagar, canvassing for votes for the Ghaziabad assembly bypoll on November 20. But its residents, Ali and Chandni Haider, have been glued to their phones and TV, taking in every update from the US — their interest not in the Trump-Harris duel for the White House, but a small country election in the state of Illinois.
There, around the same time Republicans led by Trump began scenting a decisive victory, an Indian-American Democrat pulled off an impressive win in DuPage County. The victor happened to be Saba Haider (40), Ali and Chandni’s daughter.
Saba won a seat in the DuPage County Board, defeating her Republican rival and incumbent Patty Gustin by 8,521 votes.
The DuPage board comprises elected representatives from six districts. The tenure is decided on the basis of a draw — and Saba will be on the seat for two years.
At her house in Chitragupta Vihar, her parents couldn’t be prouder.
“She has always been this talented. Saba has a friend circle of politically active people who motivated her to run for the county polls. If she wants to go ahead in politics, we are always there for her,” says Ali, who retired as an engineer in UP Jal Nigam.
Ali and Chandni now manage a school for the underprivileged in Ghaziabad. They live in the Sanjay Nagar house with Saba’s elder brother Avas and his family. They have a younger son, Zeeshan, who runs a business in Dubai.
“When Saba was born, we lived in Sector 19 of Noida. We moved to Ghaziabad only in 1993,” Chandni tells TOI.
Saba went to Holy Child School in Ghaziabad. She pursued BSc from Ram Chameli Chadha Vishvas Girls’ College in the city and bagged a gold medal in wildlife sciences from Aligarh Muslim University.
“She would always take part in debates and oratory. I think her strong academic background created the foundation for her passion in politics and public service,” Chandni says.
In 2006, Saba married Ali Kazmi, a computer science engineer from Bulandshahr, and relocated to the US with him. Settled in Chicago, the couple have two children — Azim (14) and Aizah (10).
In the US, Saba became a certified yoga teacher — training a diverse range of clients from college students to corporate officers. That’s what made her popular among the locals, her mother insists.
“Yoga is very popular in the US as well. Saba has hosted several events to promote wellness,” she says. “Her husband is also involved in social welfare and health services and supports my daughter’s political ambitions.”
For Saba, her mother is her biggest inspiration. Announcing her win in the polls on Wednesday, Saba wrote on Facebook, “This win is dedicated to my mother, who is eternally optimistic and forever giving and kind. As a kid, whenever I told her that I wanted to achieve something that seemed outside the norm, she encouraged me and always said, ‘Absolutely, if you work hard enough!’ Mummy, thank you for encouraging me to believe in myself…”
It wasn’t, however, a cakewalk for Saba. Her feet were numb from all the walking she had to do for canvassing.
“Saba told me, ‘Mumma, I can’t even feel my feet’. I told her to get a foot massage, but she said she did not have time for it. On Monday, when the votes were cast, Saba said her toenails were broken and she was bleeding from them. It hurt to see my daughter in pain. But today, I am very proud of her,” says Chandni.
The last time Saba came home was in June 2022, when Zeeshan got married.
“She came to India after years. We had such an enjoyable time amid all the wedding celebrations. But we keep going to the US off and on,” she adds.
This, however, was not Saba’s first time in the election fray. In November 2022, she lost the county polls by around 1,000 votes. “She was determined to contest again. And we were there to support her,” her mother says.
Saba has left no stone unturned since the loss. “I have gone to so many doorsteps, spoken to people and canvassed for votes,” she told TOI on Thursday from Chicago.
For Saba, raising two children and gaining a foothold in politics simultaneously was easier said than done. “Being from Ghaziabad, I had never seen snow in my life. Here, we get 2ft of snow. Battling extreme weather conditions, shopping from only one ‘desi’ grocery store and raising children was quite difficult for me and my husband. But, we gradually settled in,” she says.
Does she see a stable career in politics? “I haven’t yet thought about it. I am just working for the community and will see where it takes me. This win means a lot to me as my opponent had been a candidate for the past 20 years.”
On Trump’s win, she says, “I had hoped the Democrats would win. However, accepting the results in this democracy, I hope the next leadership focuses on growth, development and inclusivity. There is a lot of confusion and fear among the people of this country that needs to be addressed.”