Mital Gandhi

Posters bearing the name “Gandhi” dot the neighborhood of Northwest Washington, which pleases Mital Gandhi no end because he is getting the name recognition granted by no less than the famous Mahatma Gandhi.

Though the young Gandhi may be running for a small office, member of the seven-member Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), he thoroughly enjoys the experience of interacting with his neighbors in the ANC district 3F05 and soliciting their support come Nov. 2.

“This is a great way to get involved. A lot of people want to be this or that but they don’t take the necessary steps to get there,” Mital told News India-Times. Mital’s district has about 2,000 to 3,000 people and the whole commission represents some 15,000 to 20,000 people in Washington, D.C.

“I would represent the mix of people we have here –– senior citizens, young families, and young professionals. And there’s a variety of issues, from communication, to police protection, and even a say in the D.C. budget. Everything that happens within the district we have a say in,” he said.

A political science major from American University, Gandhi has lived in the capital for several years, having moved from New Jersey. Now he is a major gifts officer in the University Relations Department of American University, trying to get international funds for the institution. “I’m a public relations kind of guy,” he laughs. He even has a contender, a researcher from National Institutes of Health. “I‘ve had a chance to talk to my neighbors, and one of my main goals is to work on a wireless initiative. “I want to team up with Comcast which is in our neighborhood. I want to help shops and citizens get free access,” Mital said.