At 38, Vivek Ramaswamy was born in Ohio to Indian immigrant parents. Raised Hindu, he attended a Catholic high school. He holds a biology degree from Harvard and is a Yale Law School graduate.
Before finishing Yale, Ramaswamy earned millions as a hedge fund investor. In 2014, he started Roivant Sciences, a biotech firm acquiring drug patents. Forbes valued him at $630M in 2023.
In college, Ramaswamy was a libertarian, even rapping as "Da Vek" on the theme. He backed Trump in 2020 after not voting in previous elections.
In his 2021 bestseller 'Woke, Inc.,' Ramaswamy slams firms joining social justice and climate causes. He strongly opposes "wokeism," seeing it harm capitalism, hard work, and patriotism.
Announcing in February, Ramaswamy's candidacy seemed unlikely. Polling low, he's catching up to rivals like DeSantis. He supports Trump, and courts evangelicals, stressing US and Judeo-Christian values.
Ramaswamy takes conservative stances: anti-affirmative action, state abortion limits, stronger presidency, and cutting agencies like the FBI, Education Dept.
While Hindu, Ramaswamy emphasizes "Christian" and "Judeo-Christian" US foundations. He's an American nationalist aiming to unite diverse voters.
Ramaswamy rejects Ukraine's NATO entry, and proposes Russia concessions for peace, including letting Russia keep some occupied Ukrainian areas.
Starting with hedge funds, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences, showcasing business acumen and financial prowess.
With a bestselling book and strong conservative stance, Ramaswamy swiftly rose in right-wing circles, emerging as a 2024 Republican presidential race contender.