Suhas Subramanyam, a 37-year-old Indian-American politician, is on the brink of making history once again. A former technology adviser to President Barack Obama, Subramanyam currently serves as a State Senator in Virginia and is the leading candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia’s 10th Congressional District. If elected in November, he will be only the seventh Indian-American to join the U.S. Congress and the first from the East Coast.
In 2020, Subramanyam made headlines when he became the first Indian-American to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates in its 400-year history. Reflecting on the moment, Subramanyam shared, “When I first got elected and I made history the first time, I didn’t quite understand what it meant. But then when I got sworn in, I saw 40-50 Indian-American kids and their parents come to my swearing in and I wasn’t expecting that. And they wanted to take pictures with me.”
Let’s send @SuhasforVA and @YVindman to Congress! pic.twitter.com/kxvBnL33Sz
— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) September 20, 2024
Since then, Subramanyam has witnessed a surge in Indian-Americans entering politics, motivated by his success. He hopes to continue being a “champion” for his community, ensuring that Indian-Americans feel genuinely represented. His legislative priorities will include economic reform and tackling healthcare costs.
Subramanyam’s expected rise comes during a time of increasing Indian-American influence in U.S. politics. Figures such as Kamala Harris and multiple representatives of Indian-origin have already paved the way, and Subramanyam’s potential election will further solidify this trend.
