Loudoun County Delegate JJ Singh, representing House District 26 at the Virginia House of Delegates, praised South Asian Herald for its role in fostering bipartisan dialogue during the recent special election, highlighting the publication and its Founder & Editor-in-Chief, T. Vishnudatta Jayaraman’s mission to “bring everyone together.”
Speaking at the South Asian Herald Grand Launch on March 6, 2025, at the Intelligent Office in Tysons Corner, VA, Delegate Singh expressed his enthusiasm for the news platform. “I’m proud to attend the launch of this news website,” he stated.
Reflecting on the Loudoun County special election held on January 7th, where he emerged victorious against his Republican opponent, Ram Venkatachalam, Singh commended Jayaraman’s vision of a “collaborative environment that brings everyone together.”
“My opponent, Ram, is here, and we exchanged a nice word. Thank you, Vishnu, for bringing everyone together,” Singh remarked, drawing laughter from the audience.
Acknowledging Jayaraman’s coverage of the election, Singh pointed to the publication’s commitment to journalistic integrity. “He covered our race very closely. You’ll see on this poster right here – Unbiased, In-depth, and Impactful journalism,” Singh said, gesturing toward the South Asian Herald banner.
He continued, “And I can vouch for that. He came and covered our race. He sat down with me for over an hour. He sat down with my opponent. He sat down with Senator Kannan Srinivasan and also wrote about her opponent.”
Singh further praised Jayaraman for securing an exclusive interview with Governor Glenn Youngkin. “For someone who is coming into Loudoun County politics, and to get all of those interviews and cover the race so thoroughly is a testament to Jayaraman’s professionalism and his vision for this organization,” he added.
“I was pleased to have him cover our race in a fair, tough and comprehensive manner. When I was sworn in on the January 25th, he was gracious enough to come down and share that moment with me,” shared Singh. “If this entity, South Asian Herald, is anywhere near as comprehensive and thorough and competent as Vishnu is, this is going to be around for a very, very long time.”
Singh also presented Jayaraman with a special commendation in recognition of the South Asian Herald’s launch.
Former Republican candidate Venkatachalam reflected on his own experience with the publication, recalling his initial skepticism. After seeing Singh’s interview in South Asian Herald, he asked his friend, Virginia Asian Advisory Board Chair, Srilekha Palle, if South Asian Herald only covered Democratic candidates. Palle assured him that Jayaraman was nonpartisan and open to covering all perspectives.
“So, I reached out to him, and he said that he stands for actual reporting, not biased reporting. What that means is he doesn’t report from his perspective, just the actual facts,” Venkatachalam emphasized.
“During my conversation, I found integrity in him,” added Venkatachalam, stressing though he may not have won the election, he still had a good feeling coming out of the reporting process.
Venkatachalam, who had just returned from a business trip to Doha the night before, said he made it a priority to attend the launch in support of his “friend Vishnu.”
“It takes a lot of love and passion to do this kind of work,” he said, applauding Jayaraman and his family for making Loudoun County their home. Venkatachalam said with optimism for the future, expressing hope for great things ahead for the Commonwealth and the country.
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