With the election of Suhas Subramanyam to the U.S. House of Representatives, Indian American lawmakers celebrated an unprecedented milestone, marking the largest representation of Indian Americans in U.S. history.
Subramanyam, the first South Asian and Indian American elected from Virginia, joins the growing ranks of the “Samosa Caucus,” a term coined by Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi to highlight the achievements of Indian American lawmakers.
On January 10, 2025, just a week after the swearing-in of the 119th Congress, Representatives Ami Bera (CA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) came together to celebrate this historic moment.
“With the swearing-in of the 119th Congress, our cohort has grown to a record six members with the election of Representative Subramanyam in Virginia,” stated Rep. Bera in a joint statement with other Representatives. “I look forward to welcoming even more Indian American Members of Congress in the future.”
Bera reflected on his early days in Congress, recalling that in 2013 he was the only Indian American serving in the House and the third in U.S. history.
The path to this milestone was paved by trailblazers like Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian American from Democratic Party elected to Congress, who served from 1957 to 1963. Bobby Jindal, the second Indian American in Congress from 2005-2008, is the only Indian American from the Republican Party to ever serve in the US Congress. He went on to become the first Indian American Governor in U.S. history in Louisiana. Following him Nikki Haley became Governor of South Carolina in 2011.
Rep. Bera noted from day one he has been committed to ensuring to the Indian American representation in US Congress. “In the past decade, I am proud to be joined by incredible Indian American colleagues from around the country – Representatives Jayapal, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi, and Thanedar,” he added.
Rep. Jayapal, the only Indian American woman ever elected to the House, shared her personal story, stating, “I first came to the United States from India when I was 16 years old, by myself and with nothing in my pockets. My parents sacrificed so much to send me here, where they believed I would have the best opportunities.”
She added, “I’m thrilled that we are growing our ‘Samosa Caucus’ in this Congress with Representative Subramanyam and I look forward to continuing to work closely with these colleagues to deliver for our constituents and the country’s Indian American communities.”
Rep. Krishnamoorthi echoed her sentiments, stating, “Today, our historic Indian American representation continues to grow in Congress. I want to welcome Representative Subramanyam as the Samosa Caucus’s newest member, and look forward to working with him and my other Indian American colleagues to not only deliver for our constituents, but pave the way for future generations of Indian Americans who wish to serve in Congress too.”
Co-chair of the India Caucus, Rep. Khanna, emphasized the importance of the growing diversity in Congress. “I’m proud to serve in this Congress alongside a record number of Indian Americans and I’m excited to welcome Representative Suhas Subramanyam,” he said adding he will continue to strengthen America’s partnership with India and work on critical issues for all constituents.
Rep. Thanedar, who won his second term in Michigan, highlighted the immigrant journey shared by many in the community. “When I first moved to this country from India, I arrived with just $20 in my pocket,” he said. He further noted that he is proud to promote the American Dream in Congress for people with stories like him.
The newest member, Rep. Subramanyam, reflected on his family’s journey and the opportunities afforded to him in America. “This past Friday, my parents, who immigrated from India over 50 years ago, had the unique privilege of watching me be sworn in as the first Indian American to ever represent Virginia, and the entire East Coast, in Congress,” said the newest member Rep. Subramanyam. “My story is one that could only happen in a place like America. I am humbled to represent the Commonwealth alongside my fellow Indian American colleagues in Congress from across the country. And while I may be the first from Virginia, I am confident that I will not be the last.”
The achievements of Indian Americans extend beyond the House. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Indian American woman elected to the Senate in 2016, made history again in 2020 as the first woman and person of color to serve as Vice President. In 2024, she became the first woman of color nominated for President by a major political party.
“Vice President Harris’ historic career has inspired Indian Americans across the country to step up and run for office at every level of government to ensure the community’s voice continues to be at the decision-making table,” noted the lawmakers underscoring the growing impact of Indian American voices in the government. They hoped to see the representation expanded even further.
The joint statement emphasized the broad contributions of Indian Americans to American society, from technology and science to medicine and the military. The list of Indian American CEOs leading major global companies, including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen, IBM’s Arvind Krishna, and FedEx’s Raj Subramaniam, underscores the community’s impact.
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