The Indian Panorama

Tag: Niraj Antani

  • Ohio State House and Senate designates October as Hindu Heritage Month

    Ohio State House and Senate designates October as Hindu Heritage Month

    COLUMBUS, OH (TIP): The Ohio State House and Senate has passed a bill to designate October as Hindu Heritage Month. “This is a huge win for Hindus across Ohio and the country. Now, every October, we will be able to officially celebrate our Hindu heritage in Ohio,” State Senator Niraj Antani said after the passage of his bill to designate October as Hindu Heritage Month in Ohio.

    Antani is the first Hindu and Indian American State Senator in Ohio’s history and the youngest Hindu and Indian American state or federal-elected official in the country.

    “This was the culmination of a lot of work by Hindu advocates here in Ohio and across the country and I was very happy to partner with them to get this passed,” Antani said. A day earlier, he amended his bill into HB 173 on the Senate floor. Both chambers subsequently passed the legislation unanimously.

    “Ohio is home to millions of unique individuals, each with their own background and story,” State Representative Adam Mathews said. Mathews was the House sponsor and champion of the bill and represents most of Warren County, where many Cincinnati area Hindus reside.

    The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for his signature or veto.

    The Hindu American Foundation has welcomed the passage of the bill.

    “By officially recognizing Hindu Heritage Month every year, HB 173 goes a long way in ensuring that the contributions, culture and traditions of Hindu Americans are better understood and appreciated by the people of Ohio,” said Samir Kalra, HAF managing director.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Indian American senator Niraj Antani loses bid for US Congress from Ohio

    Indian American senator Niraj Antani loses bid for US Congress from Ohio

    OHIO (TIP): Ohio’s Indian American Republican State Senator Niraj Antani has lost his bid for the US House of Representatives from the second Congressional District in the party primary.
    Antani, who became the first Indian American State Senator in Buckeye state history in 2021, ran in a crowded field of 11 candidates in Tuesday’s party primary to replace retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup.
    Antani was in 10th place with 1,497 or 1.8% of the votes, according to The New York Times. He plans to continue serving in the Senate until his term expires on Dec 21.
    “I just called David Taylor to concede and wish him congrats on winning the Republican nomination for Congress. I wish him all the best in Congress. I want to once again thank all my supporters for their support in this race. I am so deeply grateful for your support” he posted on X.
    Antani, who was born and raised in the Miami Township, was first elected to represent his Dayton-area Senate district in 2020 after serving six years in the Ohio House. He is currently Ohio’s youngest senator and the first Indian American to serve in the Senate.
    The 6th Senate District includes southern, eastern, and northern Montgomery County, which has an Indian American population of more than 87,000.
    In a Nov 14 press release announcing his run for US Congress, Antani promised to be “a conservative warrior in Congress and fight against Joe Biden’s disastrous policies.” The second district’s “partisan voter index leans significantly Republican,” he wrote on X.
    “Over the next days, weeks, and months, I look forward to working hard to earn the support of the voters and to win this campaign,” he added.
    Antani graduated from Miamisburg High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University.

  • Indian American Niraj Antani running for US Congress in Ohio

    Indian American Niraj Antani running for US Congress in Ohio

    COLUMBUS, OH (TIP): Ohio’s first Hindu and Indian American State Senator Niraj Antani (R-6) Tuesday, November 14, announced a campaign for Congress in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District “to be a warrior for our community’s values.”
    The youngest Hindu and Indian American state or federal elected official in the United States would be contesting the Republican primary on March 19, 2024, for the seat currently held by Congressman Brad Wenstrup. Wenstrup announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election and will retire from Congress.
    Antani thanked Wenstrup “for his many years of dedicated service to our nation, both in Congress and as an American hero serving as a combat surgeon in the Army.” Antani would become the youngest Hindu and Indian American Member of Congress in the nation’s history and the first Republican Hindu Member of Congress in the country’s history, according to a statement from his campaign.
    “As the 1st Hindu and Indian American State Senator in Ohio history, I’ve worked hard every day to ensure every Ohioan has an opportunity to achieve their American Dream,” he stated. “Now, I am running for Congress to be a warrior for our community’s values and fight against those who seek to wreak havoc on us.”
    Antani also vowed to “stand steel-spined for the policies that benefit our community and strongly oppose those who kowtow to those against us.”
    Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District spans 16 counties across about 150 miles in southern Ohio. The district’s partisan voter index leans significantly Republican.
    Born and raised in southern Ohio, Antani is serving his first term in the Ohio Senate, having previously served three terms as State Representative in the Ohio House of Representatives.
    He has received numerous awards from organizations for veterans, community college, small businesses, and more. Antani is a graduate of Ohio State University.

  • Indian American Niraj Antani sworn-in as Ohio State Senator

    Indian American Niraj Antani sworn-in as Ohio State Senator

    COLUMBUS, OH (TIP): Indian American Republican Niraj Antani, who was elected to the Ohio state Senate from the 6th District, was sworn-in on Monday, January 4. The lawmaker, who served as a State Representative from January 2015 until now, became the first Indian American State Senator in Buckeye state history.
    “I am so grateful to be able to represent the community in which I was born and raised as a State Senator,” the senator said in a statement. “I will continue to work hard every day for each Ohioan so that they can have the opportunity to achieve their American dream. In this uncertain economic and health time, we must diligently strive to enact policies for the benefit of all Ohioans.”
    Antani defeated Democrat Mark Fogel in the November election.
    The 6th Senate District includes southern, eastern, and northern Montgomery County, which has an Indian American population of more than 87,000.
    Antani said on the election night that “to be elected as Ohio’s first Indian American State Senator is a testament to America’s beauty.”
    “I thank the voters for entrusting in me with this sacred honor, to be their voice at the Statehouse,” he said.
    “As State Senator, I will work hard every day so all Ohioans can have the opportunity to achieve their American Dream.” On December 17, the last day the Ohio House met, Antani thanked the voters and community for giving him an opportunity to serve. “I am so thankful to have been given the privilege to serve the community in which I was born & raised,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you to my voters, supporters, & everyone who has been here along this journey. I look forward to going across the rotunda to the State Senate!”
    The senator, who was born and raised in the Miami Township, graduated from Miamisburg High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Ohio State University
    In Ohio, a State Senator has a four-year term.