SACRAMENTO, Calif (Diya TV) — California lawmakers have approved the formation of the California Indian American Legislative Caucus, creating a new platform for Indian-American representation in the state Legislature. The caucus will bring lawmakers and community leaders together to address issues that affect Indian-American Californians and the broader state.
Assemblymember Darshana Patel founded and chairs the caucus. She said the group aims to strengthen Indian-American participation in California government. At the same time, it plans to turn the community’s growing presence into practical policy efforts.
The caucus will focus on major statewide issues. These include public education, health care access, and economic development. In addition, it will work to increase civic participation among Indian-American residents.
The caucus also seeks to connect community concerns with lawmakers and state agencies. Through that work, the group hopes to support policies that benefit Indian-American communities while addressing broader public needs.
To expand its reach beyond the state Capitol, it has launched the California Indian American Legislative Caucus Foundation. The nonprofit foundation will work with lawmakers and community members. Its goals include promoting civic engagement, explaining legislative developments, and supporting advocacy efforts across California.
One major initiative involves increasing Indian-American representation on state boards and commissions. The foundation has launched an Appointments Project to recruit qualified professionals for these positions.
The effort will target boards that influence important areas of public policy. Foundation leaders will regularly review board vacancies. They will then seek professionals whose skills match the needs of available positions.
Several prominent Indian-American leaders serve on the caucus’ board. They include Vivek Chhabra, CEO of 21iQLabs; Anuj Dixit; Papia Gambelin, managing director of state and local government affairs for the Western region at United Airlines; and Harini Krishnan, an elected Democratic National Committee member from California.
The board also includes Keshav Kumar, director of Lighthouse Public Affairs; Priya Lakireddy, president of the Merced City School District Board of Education; Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and director of AAPI Data; and Jigar Shah, managing director of Alvarez & Marsal.
Ultimately, the California Indian American Legislative Caucus seeks to make Indian-American representation a more visible part of California’s political landscape.
