Gita Uppal, an analyst at the Department of Defense and legislative aide to Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)

Washington : Working on Capitol Hill is an exciting, rewarding and wonderful experience and it provides a dynamic environment –– there is never a dull moment,” says Gita Uppal, a senior analyst at the Department of Defense who is currently working as a legislative aide in Senator Mark Pryor’s (D-AR) office on a fellowship –– a short-term assignment.

In an interview with News India-Times, Uppal, who has worked in various areas within the Department of Defense said: “There is always so much to learn (I feel like I am in school again) and everyone is so bright! It’s a really wonderful experience and helped me better understand how legislation is formulated and also how the Executive and Legislative branches interact.”

“Working for Senator Pryor has given me genuine appreciation and respect for our elected officials who work so hard to make sure they best represent their constituents. It has also been really exciting to be involved in the hearing process, to learn about how much work goes into preparing and staffing for hearings,” Uppal said on her Capitol Hill work.

As a fellow in Senator Pryor’s office, Uppal’s work centers mainly on staffing for the Governmental Affairs Committee. The Governmental Affairs Committee has broad jurisdiction on a variety of areas. “As such, I have been responsible for handling issues ranging from postal reform, abuses in the mutual fund industry and piracy vs. privacy in the entertainment industry, to name a few.

“I am also assisting in handling Department of Defense health system issues.” Uppal was born and raised in Minnesota after her parents immigrated from India to the U.S. in the early 1970’s from New Delhi. Her parents, along with her two sisters and a brother, live in Minnesota.

She has a masters’ degree in Public Health, bachelors’ degree in biology and knows Spanish, Italian and French, besides Hindi and Punjabi.

After completing her master’s degree, she was selected as a Presidential management fellow within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She then got the opportunity to rotate in various areas within the Department for two years and worked in a variety of areas ranging from managing congressionally-mandated programs in the military health system, and managing cooperative relationships on defense environmental issues in the U.S. Southern Command, to working as a special assistant for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Asked about her views on political participati-on by the Indian-American community, she said it is very important for the community to beco-me more engaged in the political process. “This has been re-affirmed during my time on the Hill. In order for effective legislation to be crafted, people need to become more involved with their elected officials to talk about issues that are important to them and their community.”

On how she got interested in working for an elected American official even though she is a Defense Department employee, she said “I really wanted to have the opportunity to work for an elected official because I think it will help me become a more effective manager in the government. It is important to have a significant understanding of how the Executive and Legislative branches work together.”

She says she has been very lucky for the opportunities that she has got in her working life. It is also very important to grow up in one’s culture. It makes you relate better to others and get along with them.

“I am really proud to be an Indian American and to have fused both cultures. I have been fortunate to have worked for people who have been great mentors to me and have given me the opportunity to work on a variety of substantive areas. Also, my parents have been instrumental in contributing to my accomplishments as they have always unconditionally supported me.”

Her pastimes include traveling, yoga, reading, volunteering, spending time with friends and family.