Indian-Americans Expand Presence in US Congress, Six Take Oath As Members Of House Of Representatives

In a historic moment for the Indian-American community, six Indian-Americans were sworn in as members of the United States House of Representatives on Saturday (4 January).

This is the largest-ever representation of Indian-Americans in the House, marking a significant milestone for the minority community in the United States.

The group, informally known as the "Samosa Caucus," now comprises six representatives, up from five in the previous term.

The term was originally coined by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to refer to Indian-origin members of Congress.

The newly sworn-in representatives include Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Shri Thanedar, and Suhash Subramaniam.

All six Indian-American lawmakers are members of the Democratic Party.

Ami Bera

Ami Bera, the senior-most member of the group, was sworn in for his seventh consecutive term representing California’s 7th Congressional District.

Reflecting on the moment, Bera posted on X: “When I was first sworn in twelve years ago, I was the sole Indian-American Member of Congress and only the third in US history. Now, our coalition is six-strong! I am excited to welcome even more Indian-Americans to the halls of Congress in the years to come!”

Suhash Subramaniam

Suhash Subramaniam, representing Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, is the newest addition to the caucus.

Sharing his enthusiasm on X, he posted, “First day of work! Honoured to be sworn into the #119th Congress, and excited to get to work to deliver results for VA10.”

Pramila Jayapal

Pramila Jayapal, representing Washington’s 7th Congressional District, continues her influential role as the first-ever Indian-American woman elected to the House.

She remains a key leader in a prominent progressive group of lawmakers.

Shri Thanedar

Shri Thanedar, representing Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, celebrated his swearing-in by posting a selfie from the House floor on X with the caption, “Ready to serve.”

Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi

Ro Khanna, representing California’s 17th Congressional District, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, representing Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, have both taken the oath for their fifth consecutive terms.

Khanna is known for his influential roles on various House committees, while Krishnamoorthi serves as the Ranking Member of the China Committee and a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

The historic achievement comes alongside challenges faced by several Indian-Americans who aspired to win seats in the House.

Among those who were unsuccessful in the primaries or general elections were Sushila Jaipal, Bhavani Patel, and Krystal Kaul.

The first Indian-American to serve in the US House was Dalip Singh Saund, elected in 1957.

A member of the Democratic Party and the first Sikh elected to Congress, Saund served for three terms.

Bobby Jindal later became the second Indian-American in the House, representing Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District from 2005 to 2008, and also served as the state’s governor.

Jindal remains the only Indian-American elected to the House on a Republican ticket.

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