Suhas Subramanyam joins as the sixth Indian-origin Congressman

The United States voted as many as six Indian Americans to power in the presidential elections heading into its final phase on Wednesday. The ‘Samosa Caucus’ – as the group of Indian-origin senators is informally referred to – would have Democrat-elect Suhas Subramanyam debuting in the Congress already comprising five Indian-origin Americans – Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar – all re-elected candidates set to continue their stay.  

Suhas Subramanyam  

Democrat (Virginia) 

According to his website profile, Suhas’ mother—a native of Bengaluru—migrated across the Atlantic in the 1970s to unite with his father, who grew up in Chennai and Secundrabad. The objective was to pursue an education and “the American dream.” 

The incoming Congressman has a law degree from Northwestern University. He previously served as a White House technology policy advisor to then-President Obama. In 2019, he was elected to the Virginia General Assembly.  

Ami Bera 

Democrat (California 6^th district) 

A doctor by education, Mr Bera is the longest-serving Indian American in the Congress. According to the profile on his office website, Mr Bera served as the Chief Medical Officer in the Sacramento Country before transitioning into education. Herein, he worked as the clinical professor of medicine and associate dean for admissions and outreach at the University of California (Davis). 

The former medical practitioner failed to secure the opportunity to represent California at the 112th Congress. However, since then, Mr Bera has had an uninterrupted stay in the Congress starting from the 113th Congress to the present 119^th.  

Raja Krishnamoorthi 

Democrat (Illinois)

Born in India in 1973, Mr Krishnamoorthi’s family migrated to New York when he was three months old – again, to pursue the American dream and for his education. His father worked as an engineering professor at Bradley University for more than 40 years.

He graduated from the Princeton University with a degree in mechanical engineering and a certificate from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. After which, the Congress set for his fifth consecutive term, attended the Harvard Law School.

Mr Krishnamoorthi also holds the distinction of being the first South Asian American in history to lead a Congressional Committee.

Ro Khanna  

Democrat (California’s 17^th district) 

All set for his fourth consecutive term at the office, the Congressman’s grandfather participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s independence movement and spent several years in jail. His parents later migrated to the United States “to seek opportunity and a better life for their children.” 

His social media bio describes him as “pro-worker, pro-union, pro-family, pro-growth”.  

Before being elected to office for the first time in 2016, Mr Khanna has worked as a lecturer in the Dept of Economics at Stanford University and an Adjunct Professor at Santa Clara Law School. 

Shri Thanedar 

Democrat (Michigan) 

The Karnataka-born Congressperson moved to the United States in 1979 after completing his master’s degree in chemistry from India. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Akron in 1982. He later became a US Citizen in 1988.  

To make ends meet in his early days in the U.S., Mr Thanedar worked as a janitor and slept in a car. After having worked as a pharmaceutical researcher and then an entrepreneur, he turned to public life service in 2018. He was first elected to represent Michigan at the 118^th Congress.  

Pramila Jayapal 

Democrat (Washington’s 7^th district) 

The first South Asian American woman at the U.S. House of Representatives and the only one of two dozen naturalised citizens in the U.S. Congress, Ms. Jayapal is all set for her 5^th consecutive stay at the office.

The India-born Congresswoman lived in Indonesia and Singapore before moving to the North American country at the age of 16 to attend Georgetown University. She later received her MBA from Northwestern University.

Ms Jayapal has been among the more vocal voices fighting the erstwhile Trump administration’s policies on immigration.

Indian-origin Suhas Subramanyam won the Democratic primary in Virginia, United States, likely making him the newest member of the “Samosa Caucus” in US Congress. He is set to compete in the general election for a House seat that includes parts of Washington suburbs. 

What is the “Samosa Caucus” in the US Parliament?

“Samosa Caucus” is a nickname given to a group of Indian-American lawmakers in the US Congress. It refers to the growing number of Indian-American legislators who are of South Asian descent, particularly those of Indian origin.

The name is a playful nod to the popular Indian snack “samosa”. The term was coined around 2018 by Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, to celebrate the growing influence of Indian-Americans in US politics.

The caucus includes members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate who have roots in India or South Asia and who often work together on issues relevant to the Indian-American community, as well as broader issues of interest to South Asian constituents in the United States. 

Who are parts of the “Samosa Caucus”?

Currently, there are six US Representatives of Indian descent serving in the Samosa Caucus, all of whom belong to the Democratic Party. 

They are – Shri Thanedar representing Michigan’s 13th District, Dr Ami Bera from California’s 6th District, Ro Khanna from California’s 17th District, Pramila Jayapal representing Washington’s 7th District and Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois’s 8th District. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, though not a member of the House, presides over the Senate. 

Suhas Subramanyam, having won his Democratic primary in Virginia, could potentially join this esteemed group if successful in the upcoming general election.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the “Samosa Caucus” during his speech to the US Congress. “There are millions here, who have roots in India. Some of them sit proudly in this chamber,” he said at the time, as per the Indian Express. 

He praised their contributions to American politics and diversity, noting US Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic role. “I am told that the Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House. I hope it grows and brings the full diversity of Indian cuisine here.”

Indian-origin Suhas Subramanyam won the Democratic primary in Virginia, United States, likely making him the newest member of the “Samosa Caucus” in US Congress. He is set to compete in the general election for a House seat that includes parts of Washington suburbs. 

What is the “Samosa Caucus” in the US Parliament?

“Samosa Caucus” is a nickname given to a group of Indian-American lawmakers in the US Congress. It refers to the growing number of Indian-American legislators who are of South Asian descent, particularly those of Indian origin.

The name is a playful nod to the popular Indian snack “samosa”. The term was coined around 2018 by Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, to celebrate the growing influence of Indian-Americans in US politics.

The caucus includes members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate who have roots in India or South Asia and who often work together on issues relevant to the Indian-American community, as well as broader issues of interest to South Asian constituents in the United States. 

Who are parts of the “Samosa Caucus”?

Currently, there are six US Representatives of Indian descent serving in the Samosa Caucus, all of whom belong to the Democratic Party. 

They are – Shri Thanedar representing Michigan’s 13th District, Dr Ami Bera from California’s 6th District, Ro Khanna from California’s 17th District, Pramila Jayapal representing Washington’s 7th District and Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois’s 8th District. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, though not a member of the House, presides over the Senate. 

Suhas Subramanyam, having won his Democratic primary in Virginia, could potentially join this esteemed group if successful in the upcoming general election.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the “Samosa Caucus” during his speech to the US Congress. “There are millions here, who have roots in India. Some of them sit proudly in this chamber,” he said at the time, as per the Indian Express. 

He praised their contributions to American politics and diversity, noting US Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic role. “I am told that the Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House. I hope it grows and brings the full diversity of Indian cuisine here.”

Washington:

“Samosa Caucus” — the group of Indian-Americans in US Congress — has a strong chance of getting another member next year with the victory of Suhas Subramanyam in the Virginia Democratic primaries.

He won the intra-party election on Tuesday to pick the Democratic candidate to contest the November general election for the House of Representatives from a constituency held by it.

The constituency includes some suburbs of Washington.

Meanwhile, in primaries in New Jersey last week, Indian-American Rajesh Mohan won the Republican ticket for a House seat but faces an uphill battle because it is in a strongly Democratic constituency.

There are now five Indian-Americans in the House of Representatives, all Democrats who call themselves the “Samosa Caucus”: Ami Bera and Ro Khanna from California; Pramila Jayapal from Washington State; Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, and Shri Thanedar from Michigan.

A State Senator, Subramanyam bested 11 other candidates in an ugly contest where his main adversary faced allegations of sexual harassment.

He was backed by the retiring House member Jennifer Wexton, who flipped the seat to the Democratic side in 2018 and was re-elected twice, winning 53 per cent of the votes in 2022 making it a safe seat for the party.

Mr Subramanyam’s family is from Bengaluru.

A 37-year-old lawyer, he was President Barack Obama’s technology advisor working on cybersecurity and modernising government agencies.

In 2019, he was elected to the Virginia General Assembly, and the State Senate last year.

He is also a volunteer medic and firefighter.

Mohan, who defeated his three Republican rivals, will be contesting from a constituency held by a Democrat.

Andrew Kim, who is giving up the seat to run for the US Senate, flipped it from the Republican Party in 2018 and won his second re-election in 2022 by 55 per cent.

Three ratings of the race surveyed by Ballotopedia declared it a solid or safe Democratic seat.

A cardiologist, Mohan received his medical degree from the Delhi University College of Medical Sciences.

In New Jersey, Ravinder Singh Bhalla, the Mayor of Hoboken, lost the Democratic Party primary for the House seat to Rob Menendez who currently holds the seat.

The sitting representative’s father, Senator Bob Menendez, is on trial on corruption charges but undeterred, he waged an ugly campaign against Bhalla, a turban-wearing Sikh, alleging that he made quid-pro-quo deals with the Mayor of a neighbouring city and used images marring his appearance in TV ads.

Susheela Jayapal, the sister of influential Representative Pramila Jayapal, lost the primary for a Democratic seat in Oregon.

Pramila Jayapal heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of leftist Democratic Party legislators.

She represents a constituency in Washington State, a neighbour of Oregon where her sister Susheela Jayapal was a county commissioner and was among several leftist candidates who faced an ideological backlash in the Democratic primaries.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

“Samosa Caucus” — the group of Indian-Americans in US Congress — has a strong chance of getting another member next year with the victory of Suhas Subramanyam in the Virginia Democratic primaries.

He won the intra-party election on Tuesday to pick the Democratic candidate to contest the November general election for the House of Representatives from a constituency held by it.

The constituency includes some suburbs of Washington.

Meanwhile, in primaries in New Jersey last week, Indian-American Rajesh Mohan won the Republican ticket for a House seat but faces an uphill battle because it is in a strongly Democratic constituency.

There are now five Indian-Americans in the House of Representatives, all Democrats who call themselves the “Samosa Caucus”: Ami Bera and Ro Khanna from California; Pramila Jayapal from Washington State; Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, and Shri Thanedar from Michigan.

A State Senator, Subramanyam bested 11 other candidates in an ugly contest where his main adversary faced allegations of sexual harassment.

He was backed by the retiring House member Jennifer Wexton, who flipped the seat to the Democratic side in 2018 and was re-elected twice, winning 53 per cent of the votes in 2022 making it a safe seat for the party.

Mr Subramanyam’s family is from Bengaluru.

A 37-year-old lawyer, he was President Barack Obama’s technology advisor working on cybersecurity and modernising government agencies.

In 2019, he was elected to the Virginia General Assembly, and the State Senate last year.

He is also a volunteer medic and firefighter.

Mohan, who defeated his three Republican rivals, will be contesting from a constituency held by a Democrat.

Andrew Kim, who is giving up the seat to run for the US Senate, flipped it from the Republican Party in 2018 and won his second re-election in 2022 by 55 per cent.

Three ratings of the race surveyed by Ballotopedia declared it a solid or safe Democratic seat.

A cardiologist, Mohan received his medical degree from the Delhi University College of Medical Sciences.

In New Jersey, Ravinder Singh Bhalla, the Mayor of Hoboken, lost the Democratic Party primary for the House seat to Rob Menendez who currently holds the seat.

The sitting representative’s father, Senator Bob Menendez, is on trial on corruption charges but undeterred, he waged an ugly campaign against Bhalla, a turban-wearing Sikh, alleging that he made quid-pro-quo deals with the Mayor of a neighbouring city and used images marring his appearance in TV ads.

Susheela Jayapal, the sister of influential Representative Pramila Jayapal, lost the primary for a Democratic seat in Oregon.

Pramila Jayapal heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of leftist Democratic Party legislators.

She represents a constituency in Washington State, a neighbour of Oregon where her sister Susheela Jayapal was a county commissioner and was among several leftist candidates who faced an ideological backlash in the Democratic primaries.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)