GOPIO, IMPACT celebrate community’s record success in 2020 elections.
STAMFORD, CT (TIP): Indian Americans have come a long way in politics since the early ’80s, says Dr. Thomas Abraham, head of a leading community organization, noting their record success in 2020 elections across the United States. “In the early 80s, there were two city council members from the Indian American community in small towns – a remarkable achievement then,” said Abraham, founder president and current chairman of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). “From those days we have traveled a long way to win many positions in several states, including the vice presidency of the US,” he said at a virtual celebration honoring the newly elected members to various state legislatures. Held over Zoom Friday, November 20 the event was hosted by GOPIO chapters (Manhattan, New York, Central New York, Connecticut, Central Jersey and Virginia) and the Indian American Impact Fund (IMPACT). The program was streamed live though The Indus TV, PIO TV and UNI TV all over the world. Two Republicans and 13 Democrats elected to 11 state legislatures recounted their experiences with former Kansas State Representative Raj Goyle, a co-founder of IMPACT, moderating the discussion. It feels like he was elected 10,000 years ago in 2006 when he was 31, said Goyle calling it an emotional thing noting there were just about 10 Indian families in the district at that time.
The community worked for the level of success reached this year, he said. “We expected it,” added Goyle noting the IMPACT fund raised a war chest of $10 million for the community’s campaigns. Impact Executive Director Neil Makhija provided information on the functioning of IMPACT and suggested potential candidates fill up the form at the IMPACT website to get its help.
Deepak Raj, the other IMPACT co-founder, recounted how IMPACT was born after he met Goyle in 2008 and discussed how to get more Indians elected. It was Raj who wrote the first check for the organization. “As a broad-based community organization, we at GOPIO want to provide a bipartisan platform to all Indian American elected lawmakers,” Abraham said. He hoped “this will motivate more Indian Americans to join the political leadership process – especially young Indian Americans.” Dr. Nikil Saval, Democrat, a writer and community organizer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, described his fight in the Senate District 1 to dislodge a three-term incumbent. The first Indian American elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, Saval said he raised money from 5,000 people, with about 500 volunteers working to meet the voters. Connecticut Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan, Democrat, elected from the 2nd District noted his Guyanese and Irish Catholic origins. This is his second term and he has plans to run for US Congress in the future.
Harry Arora, Republican, elected to Connecticut House 151st District for a second term, expressed his joy to meet with people with similar background as his own.Niraj Antani, 29, a Republican who in 2014 became the youngest member of the Ohio State House, has been elected this year as Ohio’s first Indian American state senator from District 6. He described the journey his parents took from India and his own achievements. Celebration organizers (from top left clockwise): Raj Goyle, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Deepak Raj and Dr. Tushar Patel Attorney and professor Jay Chaudhuri, a Democrat who in 2016 became the first Indian American state senator in North Carolina, spoke about his work and the voters’ confidence in him that saw him re-elected to a third term. Immigration attorney Nima Kulkarni, Democrat, who was elected to Kentucky House from the 40th District, said there are only a handful of Indians in the constituency. She defeated a 22-year incumbent. Padma Kuppa, Democrat, who was re-elected from the Michigan House’s 41st District, takes pride in her Hindu heritage. An engineer by profession, she was also happy to have two more Indians in the Michigan legislature. Ranjeev Puri, a Democrat elected from District 21, noted his Sikh heritage and his plans to improve the life of his constituents. Dr. Shri Thanedar, 65, Democrat, elected from 3rd District, noted he ran for Michigan governor in 2018 winning 18 percent votes. This time, Thanedar, an entrepreneur and scientist with a PhD in chemistry, ran from Detroit, where 90 percent of the voters are African American. He plans to help the African American community members become entrepreneurs and thus create a new Black Wall Street in Detroit.Jenifer Rajkumar, 38, Democrat, an attorney and professor, noted a few records she has created. The first South Asian woman and Hindu elected to the New York State House, she defeated a 11-year incumbent. Latha Mangipudi, a Democrat elected to New Hampshire House’s 35th District for a fifth term, said she shares her Indian culture in her talks and that mainstream people appreciate it. She also coined the term ‘Idli Caucus’ to describe South Indian representatives as US House member Raja Krishnamoorthy has nicknamed Indian American lawmakers in the US Congress as the ‘Samosa Caucus.’ Kesha Ram, Democrat, the first woman of color elected to Vermont State House and later Senate noted her Hindu/Jewish ancestry. She became a House Representative in 2008 when she was only 21. Dr. Amish Shah, a Democrat re-elected to Arizona State House, joined the meeting in scrubs since he was working at the hospital. His district includes parts of Phoenix. He spoke about his work for the community and also how the state is changing from red to blue. Dr. Tushar Patel, GOPIO Health Council Chair, said that GOPIO chapters would be enablers in promoting community involvement, especially the youngsters, in the political process. In closing remarks GOPIO-Manhattan President Shivender Sofat, urged the community to join GOPIO International or any of its chapters.
As I website possessor I think the subject matter here is really great, thankyou for your efforts.
It is in reality a nice and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you shared this useful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
F*ckin’ amazing issues here. I’m very happy to look your article. Thank you a lot and i am looking forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Wow! This can be one particular of the most useful blogs We have ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Fantastic. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
Greetings! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thanks!
Thanks for helping out, fantastic information. “I have witnessed the softening of the hardest of hearts by a simple smile.” by Goldie Hawn.
Keep working ,fantastic job!
Dead composed content material, thankyou for entropy.
Hey there, You have performed an excellent job. I’ll definitely digg it and in my view recommend to my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this web site.
Hiya very cool website!! Guy .. Excellent .. Superb .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally…I am satisfied to seek out numerous helpful info right here in the submit, we’d like develop more techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing.
very good submit, i definitely love this web site, keep on it
Amazing! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and design. Superb choice of colors!
I like the helpful info you provide on your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and test once more here frequently. I am moderately certain I will learn many new stuff proper here! Good luck for the next!
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! “All the really good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.” by Grant Wood.
obviously like your web site but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I to find it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I’ll surely come back again.
There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
I gotta favorite this internet site it seems handy very useful
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
Dead pent articles, Really enjoyed looking at.
Your home is valueble for me. Thanks!…
It?¦s truly a nice and helpful piece of information. I?¦m satisfied that you just shared this useful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
You got a very good website, Gladiolus I discovered it through yahoo.
I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i’m glad to exhibit that I have a very excellent uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I so much surely will make certain to do not forget this site and give it a look regularly.
Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a hard time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!
Hello. impressive job. I did not expect this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
Thanks – Enjoyed this article, can I set it up so I receive an update sent in an email whenever there is a fresh update?
I?¦m now not sure where you’re getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend a while finding out more or understanding more. Thanks for magnificent info I was searching for this information for my mission.
Hi there, You’ve done an excellent job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this web site.
Hey! Quick question that’s completely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My website looks weird when viewing from my apple iphone. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to fix this issue. If you have any recommendations, please share. Many thanks!
You can definitely see your expertise in the paintings you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
Great – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task..
Have you ever thought about writing an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my visitors would enjoy your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.
I got what you intend,bookmarked, very nice web site.
Hello there, You have done an excellent job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from this site.
You are my breathing in, I possess few web logs and infrequently run out from to brand.
Howdy would you mind stating which blog platform you’re using? I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a difficult time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Hello.This post was really fascinating, particularly since I was investigating for thoughts on this matter last week.
Thank you for every other informative website. Where else could I am getting that kind of information written in such an ideal manner? I have a mission that I am simply now operating on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite nice article.
It’s really a great and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Hi there, I found your blog by the use of Google even as looking for a similar topic, your site got here up, it looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.