Kamala Harris Sworn in as Vice President of the United States
Kamala Harris was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States in 2021, becoming the highest-ranking woman in American history. She was also the first Black American, the first person of South Asian descent, and the first graduate of a Historically Black College and University to hold the office. Her inauguration transformed […]
Indian Americans Shape the Federal COVID-19 Response
As COVID-19 overwhelmed the United States, Indian-American figures occupied some of the most consequential federal health policy positions in the country. Dr. Ashish Jha served as White House COVID Response Coordinator under President Biden. Stanford health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, which became the central reference point in the scientific and […]
Nikki Haley Appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Nikki Haley’s appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the first Trump administration placed an Indian American at the center of American foreign policy. As the first person of Indian origin to serve in a Cabinet-level position, she represented the United States during debates on international security, sanctions, human rights, and global conflict. […]
Indian Americans Expand Religious Recognition in the U.S. Military
Capt. Pratima Dharm was commissioned as the first Hindu chaplain in the U.S. Army in 2011, expanding formal religious representation in the armed forces. Lt. Cmdr. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi and Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan secured waivers to serve while maintaining their articles of Sikh faith, including unshorn hair and turbans. Their cases helped pave the […]
Brig. Gen. Balan R. Ayyar: First Indian American General Officer
Balan R. Ayyar’s promotion to Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force in 2010 marked a military milestone. As the first Indian American to attain general officer rank in the U.S. Armed Forces, he broke one of the highest leadership barriers in military service. Over a career spanning four combatant commands, Ayyar held critical operational […]
Indian American Women Claim Elected Office Across the Country
A new generation of women from the diaspora transformed American politics through a series of electoral breakthroughs. Nikki Haley was elected Governor of South Carolina in 2010. Pramila Jayapal joined the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017, while Kamala Harris took her seat in the U.S. Senate the same year. Aruna Miller became Maryland’s lieutenant […]
Indian Americans Break Through as U.S. Ambassadors
When Vinai Thummalapally was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Belize in 2009, he became the first Indian American to serve as a U.S. ambassador. His appointment was followed by those of Atul Keshap, who served in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Brunei, and later as the top U.S. diplomat for India; Rachna Korhonen, ambassador to […]
Bobby Jindal: First Indian American Governor
Bobby Jindal’s election as Governor of Louisiana in 2007 marked another milestone in the political rise of Indian Americans. As the first Indian American to serve as a U.S. governor, he demonstrated that a candidate of Indian origin could win statewide executive office in the Deep South by building a broad electoral coalition. Serving two […]
Reshma Saujani Launches Girls Who Code
Hundreds of thousands of young women have entered the world of computer science through an initiative launched by Reshma Saujani. In 2012, she founded Girls Who Code to address the gender gap in technology. The organization grew into one of America’s largest computer-science education nonprofits, helping build a stronger pipeline of women entering technical careers.
Indian Americans Build the First Permanent Museum of Their Own History
In 2021, the National Indo-American Museum (NIAM) opened its first permanent home in Lombard, Illinois, the first dedicated museum built by and for Indian Americans to preserve the diaspora’s cultural heritage and immigrant narrative. Dr. Umang and Paragi Patel donated the building that made it possible. In 2023, the Eternal Gandhi Museum opened in Houston, […]