Ambassador Mansingh hopes interns will become lawmakers some day and use good offices to express India’s concerns on the Hill.

Washington: Ambassador Lalit Mansingh exhorted young Indian Americans to become more involved politically and aspire for political office so that they could become a strong voice for their burgeoning community in the United States. The ambassador was addressing a group of interns from the Indian American Center for Political Awareness’ (IACPA) Washington Leadership Program (WLP) at a reception to welcome them at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., on July 15.

Mansingh began his speech by saying that behind every successful man there was a woman and behind every successful Congressman or Senator there is a staffer and “you, (the interns) should aspire to occupy that important position so that you could join the group of movers and shakers on Capitol Hill.”

The WLP has, since its inception in 1995, placed 116 students as interns in Congressional offices. Many of them have since returned to work on the Hill or have joined lobbying firms to bolster Indo-U.S. relations.

Complimenting Gopal Raju, founder and chairman of the board of directors of IACPA, for setting up the center to politically empower the Indian-American community, Mansingh said, “This innovative program of placing young and bright students for internship every year in the offices of Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill” fulfills the need for getting the community out of its ethnic isolation and help it join mainstream America.

Earlier, the ambassador said, “We used to have Stephen Solarz (referring to the former Democratic Congressman from New York) who was the only effective voice on the Hill, but as the Indian-American community grew by leaps and bounds, the need for a greater voice was fulfilled by the formation of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.”

He hoped that the interns would one day not only become lawmakers but also use their good offices to project a positive image of India and voice its concerns on the Hill. In this context he regretted that no other Indian American had the honor of achieving what Dalip Saund did in the 1956 when he was elected to Congress.

Mansingh said this is the “best period” of India-U.S. relations. This, he said, could be gauged by the ever-increasing political exchanges and the strategic dialogue with a strong economic foundation.

Despite the great geographical divide between the two nations, bilateral relations are marked by a shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, basic human freedoms, tolerance and pluralism. The efforts made by the India Caucus, the community and others have contributed to a positive change in Indo-U.S. relations over the years, he added.

He said the political exchanges and bilateral visits by both Indian officials to the U.S. and the Bush administration officials to India, have provided a new impulse to the broadening and deepening of relations. Cooperation in trade and investment has in recent years emerged as the prime mover in India-U.S. relations, he added. “Today, the United States is our largest trading partner, our principal source for foreign investment and a major destination for our goods and services.”

“More than a million-and-half people from India have made America their home. They have prospered and thrived here and have contributed to this country’s rich diversity and its economic and technological success. They constitute a vital element in the continuing endeavor to forge a dynamic relationship of close friendship, deep understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries,” he said.

Echoing the views of the ambassador, Deputy Chef of Mission Alok Prasad asked the interns to master the techniques of entering politics and the government. “It has always been our hope that many of you would come back, would join Congress as staff, and would, hopefully, at some time, as members, continue to contribute to Indo-American friendship.” He also praised Raju and the IACPA for their yeoman service in politically empowering the community.

Besides Raju and Veena Merchant, director and editor-in-chief of News India-Times and IACPA director, the event was attended by legislative aides, including Heea Vazirani-Fales, deputy staff director and counsel to Congresswoman Connie Morella, Maryland Republican.

Prominent community members like Bharat Bhargava, Joy Cherian and Shekhar Tiwari were also present at the reception.