Despite torrential rain and a frantic schedule, the 16 Indian American students selected for the 2003 Washington Leadership Program (WLP) completed the first week in their eight-week program in Washington, D.C., on June 20. The intense week included peer discussions, meetings with influential people in Washington and an immersion in Capitol Hill culture and history, where these students were to be interning for the next six weeks.

The Indian American Center for Political Awareness (IACPA) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing political awareness in the Indian American community. IACPA created the WLP in 1995, and the program has grown to become a cornerstone of the organization. The WLP summer program has become one of the largest and most highly-regarded Asian American internship opportunities available on Capitol Hill since its creation.

During the orientation week of WLP 2003, participants had a chance to meet one another as well as interact with prominent community leaders and leading Indian Americans in politics and government.

These speakers addressed the importance of why the younger generations of Indian Americans should become involved in politics, why it is important to share our voices and the importance of being civically-responsible Americans. But above all, all the speakers urged the interns to make the most of their opportunity in Washington. Neil Dhillon, senior vice president of the public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton, urged the students to “take advantage of Washington.” He said, “Don’t let Washington take advantage of you.”

On June 16, the first day of the program, the students had a chance to meet with IACPA Board members Dr. Bhupi Patel and Mike Patel from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA). Dr. Patel is the new president of the IACPA Board of Directors, and both he and Mike Patel provided a unique insight for the students as they embarked on their political journey in the nation’s capital this summer.

Both board members impressed upon everyone that success in any field must be coupled with a strong sense of responsibility and philanthropy.

Kapil Sharma, vice president of the firm Madison Government Relations, IACPA advisor and veteran political strategist, encouraged the students to take initiative in their congressional internships. But he also gave the WLP participants a wake-up by reminding them to “pay their dues” and gave them other insights into the way politics works.

One intern said, “The first week of my WLP experience has been amazing. It hasd whole new avenues for me to explore in the world of politics and community.”

ON JUNE 16: Interns with Bhupi Patel, third from left, IACPA board member and director of News India-Times, and Mike Patel, second from right, member of the boards of both IACPA and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA).

“It is important for us to realize that leadership in business and leadership in politics and public policy are closely aligned... and it would be foolish of us as businessmen to not have at least opinions on what goes on in Washington and our state capitols.
------ Mike Patel, member of IACPA and AAHOA Boards

ON JUNE 18: Interns with Iowa State Representative Swati Dandekar, second from right.

When asked about her community representation, Dandekar responded by saying that it was her duty to represent and fulfill the needs of her constituents, stating, “I don’t make it an issue that I am an immigrant.” Yet, Representative Dandekar is also a staunch supporter of the Indian American community.

ON JUNE 19: Neil Dhillon, left, senior vice president at the public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton, addressing interns during the orientation week at the start of the Indian American Center for Political Awareness’s eight-week Washington Leadership Program, in Washington, D.C., on June 19.

“Take advantage of Washington. Don’t let Washington take advantage of you.”
------ Neil Dhillon, senior vice president, Hill and Knowlton

ON JUNE 19: Dhillon with the interns.

“There comes a point when you have to make a decision ------ you do what you need to do, should do, are expected to do, or you do what you want to do; I did what I wanted to do; that does not happen for free. I compromised other things.”
----- Sayu Bhojwani, New York City Commissioner on Immigrant Affairs

ON JUNE 20: Interns with Sayu Bhojwani, third from left, New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs and founder of ‘South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!), Veena Merchant, second from right, member of IACPA board and director and Editor-in-Chief of News India-Times, and Ralph Nurnberger, right, member of the IACPA board, a government affairs counselor at Preston Gates and a professor at Georgetown University. (Photos: Christopher Dumm)