Indiaspora unveils groundbreaking report on Indian American contributions

Influential leaders gather at National Press Club to highlight the multifaceted impact of Indian Americans in the United States

A diverse assembly of Indian American political figures, corporate executives, and leaders from various fields gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on June 13, to release an Indiaspora report highlighting the multifaceted contributions of Indian Americans to the United States.

Produced in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, the “Indiaspora Impact Report: Small Community, Big Contributions” is the first volume in a series that examines the impact of the Indian diaspora in areas such as public service, business, culture, and innovation in the United States.

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The event, themed “Politics and Public Service,” was the first of three events held to unveil the report and it brought together a number of speakers who underscored the significant role Indian Americans play in shaping the United States’ socio-political landscape.

Speakers included National Science Foundation Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam, Indian American members of Congress Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and AAPI Victory Fund Chairperson Shekar Narasimhan.

In his keynote address, Panchanathan highlighted the successful collaboration between the United States and India in science and technology. “This is a very important moment,” he said. “I cannot overstate this: It’s a great opportunity. I think we should do more together, but I can tell you: it’ll happen if every one of you… participate in this unbelievable opportunity.”

Thanedar, Krishnamoorthi, and Miller, three of the highest-ranking elected officials from the community, shared their personal journeys and the broader implications of Indian American involvement in politics.

Thanedar, a freshman Democrat from Michigan, recounted how, after being denied the F-1 student visa multiple times, he eventually came to the United States and built multiple businesses. While he felt he had achieved his American Dream, the Congressman said he saw many Americans across Michigan who “did not have access to their American Dream.” This motivated him to run for the top job of governor. After losing that bid, he ran for Congress and was elected. Today, Thanedar pointed out, he sits on many committees that have oversight over critical areas such as mental health and education, enabling him to do important work on behalf of all Americans.

Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, praised Indiaspora and its founder M.R. Rangaswami, whom he described as “the most networked Indian American” that he knows. “[It] was only natural that [Rangaswami] would have founded Indiaspora, which has become such a fabulous organization with great impact and it’s only appropriate that he commissioned this report that assesses the impact of Indian Americans.”

He further emphasized the need for more Indian Americans to run for office at different levels. “We need more people running for city council, we need more people running for statehouses, we need more people running for state senate, we need more people running for the US Congress,” Krishnamoorthi said, adding jokingly, “though not in my congressional district.”

Miller, the highest-ranking Indian American officeholder in a state, spoke about the historic nature of her election as the running mate of Gov. Wes Moore, the state’s first African American governor of Maryland, when they won in November 2022.

“We became … the first gubernatorial ticket with two people of color ever to win in the history of the United States,” she said, adding that her administration’s job is “to make sure that we can level the playing field for everyone” — “to make sure every person young and old, when they walk into a room or space they know that they belong there, they deserve to be there.”

Miller also highlighted her administration’s achievements: “We have created the most diverse cabinet in Maryland’s history where 50 percent of our cabinet secretaries are people of color and 50 percent are women, and we also have the highest amount of AAPI cabinet secretaries in the continental United States.”

Earlier, Narasimhan, who introduced Miller, urged Indian Americans run for offices at the local level and build “the bench.”

“We don’t spend that much time thinking about the school board, local city council, mayor,” he said. “This is where the rubber meets the road.”

Subramanyam, who brought a business perspective to the discussion, praised the report. “I’m just delighted that [Indiaspora was] able to release the report, you’re able to talk about it going forward,” he said.

The event underscored the impact of Indian Americans on the United States, from business and technology to politics and public service.