<p>With her left hand on a Bible held by her husband Michael, Republican Haley, born Nimrata (Nikki) Randhawa, took the oath of office as the first non-white governor of the state in an inaugural ceremony on the on the steps of Statehouse in Columbia 24 minutes after noon (10.54 p.m. IST).<br /><br />At 38, the mother of two is the second Indian-American governor of a US state after Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, also a Republican, who became the first with his election three years ago. The 117th South Carolina governor is also the youngest sitting chief executive of an American state.<br /><br />The first couple's daughter Rena, 12, and son Nalin, 8, stood by them as Haley, dressed in an off-white coat over a grey-green knee-length dress raised her right hand to take the oath of office. Husband Michael, who is a member of the South Carolina National Guard, was in his army dress uniform.<br /><br />Elegantly dressed in a green sari, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar attended the inaugural ceremony watched by US lawmakers, diplomats and other dignitaries and telecast live by local TV stations.<br /><br />Haley replaces outgoing Governor Mark Sanford, who gained national attention after an affair with a woman from Argentina was announced on national television.<br /><br />Inaugural events started with a 9 a.m. prayer service at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral across from Statehouse grounds. A bagpipe procession opened the ceremony. An open house at the governor's mansion and a gala Wednesday evening round out the activities.<br /><br />Haley, who defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen with a surprisingly close 51 percent-47 percent vote in the most expensive election in state history in November, has already like Jindal been mentioned as a "long shot" presidential candidate for 2012. <br /><br />From a racial slur from a fellow lawmaker to unproven accusations of an affair by a political blogger, Haley saw quite a bit of controversy surround her campaign before the Republican primary earlier this year. But she still snagged the party nomination in a run-off in June with 65 percent votes.<br /><br />Haley, one of the strongest fiscal conservatives in state government, was first elected to represent the 87th District in Lexington County in 2004, when, as a virtual unknown, she beat the longest serving state legislator in a Republican primary.<br /><br />In 2008, Haley was sent back to the state house with 83 percent of the vote - the highest percentage earned by any lawmaker facing a contested South Carolina election that year.</p>
<p>With her left hand on a Bible held by her husband Michael, Republican Haley, born Nimrata (Nikki) Randhawa, took the oath of office as the first non-white governor of the state in an inaugural ceremony on the on the steps of Statehouse in Columbia 24 minutes after noon (10.54 p.m. IST).<br /><br />At 38, the mother of two is the second Indian-American governor of a US state after Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, also a Republican, who became the first with his election three years ago. The 117th South Carolina governor is also the youngest sitting chief executive of an American state.<br /><br />The first couple's daughter Rena, 12, and son Nalin, 8, stood by them as Haley, dressed in an off-white coat over a grey-green knee-length dress raised her right hand to take the oath of office. Husband Michael, who is a member of the South Carolina National Guard, was in his army dress uniform.<br /><br />Elegantly dressed in a green sari, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar attended the inaugural ceremony watched by US lawmakers, diplomats and other dignitaries and telecast live by local TV stations.<br /><br />Haley replaces outgoing Governor Mark Sanford, who gained national attention after an affair with a woman from Argentina was announced on national television.<br /><br />Inaugural events started with a 9 a.m. prayer service at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral across from Statehouse grounds. A bagpipe procession opened the ceremony. An open house at the governor's mansion and a gala Wednesday evening round out the activities.<br /><br />Haley, who defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen with a surprisingly close 51 percent-47 percent vote in the most expensive election in state history in November, has already like Jindal been mentioned as a "long shot" presidential candidate for 2012. <br /><br />From a racial slur from a fellow lawmaker to unproven accusations of an affair by a political blogger, Haley saw quite a bit of controversy surround her campaign before the Republican primary earlier this year. But she still snagged the party nomination in a run-off in June with 65 percent votes.<br /><br />Haley, one of the strongest fiscal conservatives in state government, was first elected to represent the 87th District in Lexington County in 2004, when, as a virtual unknown, she beat the longest serving state legislator in a Republican primary.<br /><br />In 2008, Haley was sent back to the state house with 83 percent of the vote - the highest percentage earned by any lawmaker facing a contested South Carolina election that year.</p>