In a historic moment, Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam took the oath of office on the sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita. Subramanyam, who represents Virginia’s 13th district, is the first Indian-American to be elected from the U.S. East Coast to Congress. The moment was made even more special by the presence of his mother, who witnessed her son take the oath as a member of the U.S. Congress, one of the world’s most powerful political bodies.
Subramanyam steps into the shoes of Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Gabbard, same as her predecessor, took the oath on the Gita in 2013 while being the first member of Congress to do so. Since then, taking an oath on the Bhagavad Gita has been the signature act of an increasing influence of Hindu-Americans in politics within the U.S.
A personal milestone
On his swearing-in, Subramanyam made a poignant statement on his experience. He went on to speak about how his parents, who came from India, wouldn't have imagined their son in Congress someday representing Virginia. He gave a remark, “If you had said to my mom when she landed at Dulles Airport from India that her son would represent Virginia in Congress, she probably wouldn't have believed you.”
The growing presence of Indian-Americans in US politics is largely emphasised by Subramanyam's success. Subramanyam's win is a significant achievement for South Asians and many Indian representatives in American politics.
A growing presence of Indian-Americans in US politics
With Subramanyam's election, the number of Indian-American lawmakers in Congress now stands at four. Other notable Indian-American Congress members include Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, and Shri Thanedar. This reflects the increasing political influence of Indian-Americans, who are now among the most prominent ethnic groups in the U.S. Congress.
Adding to these four Hindu members, the Congress also has three increasing numbers of Buddhists in the fold. The current Congress has three members—a testament to the diverse religious makeup of American lawmaking bodies. Christians, with their convened body of 461 members, are followed by Jews, who have 32 members.
Subramanyam’s political journey
Before his current post in Congress, Subramanyam was working as a policy adviser in the administration of former President Barack Obama. Elected to Virginia's General Assembly in 2019, Subramanyam dealt in diverse issues such as economic development and public health. His entry into Congress not only marks another step in the political advancement of Indian Americans but also points the way toward even more diverse and rich representation in American politics.
From Virginia to Washington, Subramanyam's travels additionally show America's lineup of expanding South Asian face-theft representation at the highest levels of the government, which in turn demonstrates the socio-political climb of the Indian-American community in shaping the future of America.
(PTI inputs)
