Political aspirations of
Indian diaspora rise with Obama win
By
Khushwant Singh
Chandigarh,
Nov 6 (IANS) Democrat Barack Obama's election as the first
African American president of the US has ignited hope among
Americans of Indian origin who dream of either pursuing political
careers or having members of the diaspora represent them in
the political arena.
"The
election of Obama is encouragement for any American Indian.
It shows us that anything is possible. I hope it motivates
American Indians to run for elected offices. In fact, it has
encouraged me to think of running again," American entrepreneur
of Indian origin Chiranjeev Singh Kathuria told IANS on telephone
from Chicago.
A
physician from Brown's University (Rhode Island) and MBA from
Stanford (California), Kathuria made an unsuccessful bid to
be a Republican candidate against Obama from Illinois. However,
he hailed Obama's victory as "path breaking for second
generation immigrants".
"I
hope in my old age, before I die, I get to see an Indian American
elected as president. It was very enriching, exciting and,
at times, a trying experience to run for the US senate. It
will be an experience I will always remember," said Kathuria.
Rajwant
Singh, national president of the Sikh Council on Religion
and Education (SCORE), said: "Obama's election represents
dynamic America at ease with its diversity.
"We
Sikhs are proud of this nation, and this election brings new
hope to 500,000 Sikhs who have been here for the last 100
years. This victory will certainly inspire many Sikh Americans
to aspire for the highest office in this country and will
not deter them due to their appearance," he added.
While
Obama's victory has given a boost to the political aspirations
of many immigrants, for minority communities such as the Sikhs,
who have been victims of hate crimes post 9/11 because some
Americans have mistaken them for Arab Muslims, the victory
is a definite sign of change.
Jasbir
Singh Kang of the Punjabi American Heritage Society from Yuba
City said: "This is a historic day for all Americans.
A son of an immigrant has become president-elect. This can
only happen in a great country like America.
"This
is a great cultural and a historical shift in American politics,
and we Sikhs look forward to working with President Obama,"
said Satinder Singh Rekhi, CEO of a company in California's
Sacramento city and chairman of SCORE's board.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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