BAYSIDE, NY (TIP): State Senator Tony Avella, on February 5, announced the hire of a new South Asian representative. Fulfilling a campaign promise, Senator Avella joined South Asian community leaders to announce that his office can now accommodate Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu speakers.

Ms. Rajvir Kaur Khakh, who has been hired as a District Representative, attended the State University of New York at Old Westbury, where she studied politics, business economics and law. She has previously interned with the Center for Social Policy and Community Engagement, the Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project and the Institute of Multicultural Counseling and Educational Services at the United Nations.

“I am pleased to announce that Ms. Rajvir Kaur Khakh has joined our office. We are lucky to be able to bring someone of her outstanding qualifications on board. I am proud that our office is now able to accommodate Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu speakers, and I look forward to working to strengthen the relationship between my office and the South Asian community,” said Senator Avella.

“It is an honor to have this opportunity. I look forward to helping those who speak Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, and it will be my privilege to be the link between the South Asian community and the office of Senator Tony Avella,” stated Rajvir Kaur Khakh.

“I would like to thank Senator Avella for ensuring that his office has a representative of the South Asian community. It is a great responsibility to represent both Senator Avella and the South Asian community. I am glad that with Rajvir, anyone can be helped, regardless of whether they speak English well or not. I look forward to continuing to work on the needs of the South Asian community with Senator Avella,” said Pali Walia, community leader.

“Congratulations to Ms. Khakh. I wish you all the best. This district is very diverse with a growing number of South Asian residents. Thanks to Senator Avella for listening to the needs of our community and hiring a South Asian American representative in his office,” stated Dilip Chauhan, community leader.