List of politicians of Indian descent

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Canada
2 Guyana
3 Suriname
4 United Kingdom
5 Singapore
6 Malaysia
7 New Zealand
8 Fiji
9 South Africa
10 Mauritius
11 United States
12 Trinidad and Tobago
13 Jamaica
14 Kenya

[edit] Canada

Bharat Agnihotri - Alberta Liberal MLA
Hardial Bains - founder and leader of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada from 1970-1997
Harry Bains - British Columbia New Democratic MLA
Navdeep Bains - Liberal Member of Parliament
Gulzar Singh Cheema - Manitoba and British Columbia MLA
Raj Chouhan - British Columbia NDP MLA
Herb Dhaliwal - Liberal MP and the first Indo-Canadian cabinet minister
Ruby Dhalla - Liberal MP
Vic Dhillon - Ontario Liberal MPP
Ujjal Dosanjh - former Premier of British Columbia, the first Indo-Canadian premier, former federal Minister of Health, and current National Defence Critic
Raminder Gill - former Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP and federal Conservative candidate
Gurmant Grewal - former Conservative MP, half (with Nina, listed below) of the first married couple to serve as MPs in the same session of Parliament
Nina Grewal - Conservative MP, half (with Gurmant) of the first married couple to serve as MPs in the same session of Parliament
Bidhu Jha - Manitoba NDP MLA
Wajid Khan - Ontario Liberal MP
Kuldip Singh Kular - Ontario Liberal MPP
Harry Lali - BC NDP MLA
Gurbax Singh Malhi - Liberal MP
Rob Nijjar - former BC Liberal MLA
Moe Sihota - former British Columbia NDP MLA and television host
Deepak Obhrai - Alberta Conservative MP
Raj Pannu - former leader of the Alberta New Democrats, the first Indo-Canadian leader of a political party
Shiraz Shariff - Alberta Progressive Conservative MLA
Jaggi Singh - anti-globalization activist
Harinder Takhar - Ontario Liberal MPP and Minister of Transportation
Murad Velshi - former Ontario Liberal MPP

[edit] Guyana

Cheddi Jagan, Former President of Guyana
Bharrat Jagdeo, Current President of Guyana
Sir Shridath Ramphal former Commonwealth Secretary General
Moses Nagamootoo politician
Peter Ramsaroop politician
Rupert Roopnaraine politician
Samuel Insanally politician
Joey Jagan politician
Lionel Luckhoo, politician, diplomat, and well-known lawyer
Dale Bisnauth politician
Ronald Gajraj politician

[edit] Suriname

Ramsewak Shankar, former President (from 1988 to 1990)
Lachmipersad Frederick Ramdat Misier former acting President (from 1982 to 1988)
Ramdien Sardjoe, current Vice-President.

[edit] United Kingdom

See also British Asians in politics of the United Kingdom

Mancherjee Bhownagree, Conservative (Second Indian MP in British Parliament).
Parmjit Dhanda, Labour MP.
Nirj Deva, Conservate MEP.
Piara Khabra, Labour MP.
Sadiq Khan, Labour MP.
Ashok Kumar, Labour MP.
Claude Moraes, Labour MEP.
Dadabhai Naoroji,Liberal Party (First Indian MP in British Parliament).
Shapurji Saklatvala, Communist MP.
Marsha Singh, Labour MP.
Parmjit Singh Gill, Liberal Democrats.
Shailesh Vara, Conservative MP.
Keith Vaz, Labour MP.
Dinesh Solanki - Harrow UK [Conservative Party UK] [Harrow Council Councillor- Queensbury Ward]
Virendra Sharma - councillor in Ealing, England and a politician in the Labour Party

[edit] Singapore

The late CV Devan Nair, Singapore's third President (1981-1985), father of the modern trades union movement in Singapore.
Sellapan Ramanathan, President of Singapore since 1999, former head of Singapore's intelligence unit and Ambassador to the United States, amongst other senior positions in the civil service.
S Rajaratnam, former Senior Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Labour and Culture. Co-foudner of the Peoples Action Party and Association of South East Asian Nations. Author of the Singapore Pledge. Seen as a founding father of modern Singapore.
S Jayakumar, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Law and co-ordinating Minister for Security. Former Foreign Minister and ambassador to the United Nations, and Dean of the Law School in Singapore.
S Dhanabalan, Chairman of Temasek Holdings and DBS Bank, former Minister of National Development, Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs. Tipped by Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as one of the four men he considered as a possible successor.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of Education and former head of Singapore's defacto central bank.
Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Former CEO of Singapore General Hospital.
Dr.Balaji Sadasivan, Junior Minister.
J. B. Jeyaretnam, former opposition leader, and the first person to break the PAP monopoly in parliament in 1984. A former magistrate.
James Gomez, senior leader in the main opposition party (the Workers Party) and founder of 'Think Centre', a political NGO.

[edit] Malaysia

Tun V.T. Sambanthan, one of the founding fathers of independent Malaya
John Thivy, freedom fighter and founding president of the Malayan Indian Congress
Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, Works Minister in the Malaysian cabinet and president of the Malaysian Indian Congress
Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, sixth president of the Malaysian Indian Congress and former Minster of Communication in the Malaysian cabinet
K.L. Devaser, fourth president of the Malaysian Indian Congress
Datuk K. Pathmanaban, politician and founder of Melaka Manipal Medical College
Sivarasa Rasiah, a human rights lawyer and vice-president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party)
D.R. Seenivasagam, founder of PPP and politician
Datuk M. Kayveas, president of PPP and deputy minister in the Malaysian cabinet
Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan, former politician
Datuk G. Palanivel, Deputy Minister of Women and Family Development and deputy president of Malaysian Indian Congress
Karpal Singh, chairman of opposition Democratic Action Party and member of parliament
Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo, former Speaker of the Senate
K.S. Nijhar, Member of Parliament
E. E. C. Thuraisingham, a politician of pre-Independence Malaysia
David V., politician
Kula Segaran, MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP National Vice Chairman.
Datuk K. Sivalingam, former member of the state executive council of Selangor
K. Parthiban, current state assemblyman for Ijok
K.S. Nallakarupan, opposition politician
Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan, president of the Indian Progressive Front (IPF)
Devaki Krishnan, the first Malaysian Indian woman to become a municipal councillor.

[edit] New Zealand

Anand Satyanand, First Governor General of Asian descent

[edit] Fiji

Mahendra Chaudhry, first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister (1999-2000)
Ahmed Ali (1938-2005), several times a cabinet minister.
George Shiu Raj, Cabinet Minister.
Anand Singh, Fiji Labour Party Senator and former Attorney-General.
Vijay R. Singh, former Cabinet Minister
Sidiq Koya, Leader of the Opposition National Federation Party
Dorsami Naidu, Leader of the National Federation Party
A.D. Patel (1905-1969), founder of the National Federation Party
Pramod Rae, General Secretary of the National Federation Party.
Jai Ram Reddy, Leader of the National Federation Party (1977-1987; 1992-1999); Judge.
Prem Singh, former NFP leader.
Raman Pratap Singh, National Federation Party leader.
Amjad Ali, FLP politician.
Narendra Arjun, former NFP parliamentarian
Kamlesh Kumar Arya, FLP politician.
Anand Babla, FLP politician.
Pratap Chand, FLP politician.
Ahmed Gaffar, FLP politician.
Gunasagaran Gounder, FLP politician.
Hafiz Khan, businessman and Senator.
James Shri Krishna, FLP politician.
Gopal Lakshman, FLP politician.
Surendra Lal, FLP politician.
Sanjeet Chand Maharaj, FLP politician
Perumal Mupnar, FLP Member of Parliament.
Damodran Nair, FLP Member of Parliament.
Gyani Nand, FLP politician.
Ragho Nand, FLP politician.
Udit Narayan, FLP politician.
Krishna Prasad], FLP Member of Parliament.
Ram Sharan], FLP politician.
Gyan Singh], FLP Member of Parliament.
Pravin Singh, FLP Member of Parliament
Satendra Singh], FLP politician.
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi], Fiji Labour Party parliamentarian.
Shivlal Nagindas, Labasa businessman and former Senator.

[edit] South Africa

Yusuf Dadoo, doctor and politician
Karthy Govender
Ronnie Govender
Ahmed Kathrada, political activist
Jody Kollapen
Dullah Omar, politician
George Naicker
Monty Naicker
Amma Naidoo
Indira Naidoo
Naransamy Roy Naidoo
Shanti Naidoo
Thambi Naidoo
Xavier Naidoo
Radhakrishna Padayachi, Deputy Minister for Communication
Thillaiaadi Valliammai

[edit] Mauritius

Abdool Razack Mohamed, one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius.
Sookdeo Bissoondoyal, politician and one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius.
Sir Dayendranath Burrenchobay, former governor-general
Sir Anerood Jugnauth, president
Navin Ramgoolam, prime minister
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, former prime minister and one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius
Veerasamy Ringadoo, former president
Cassam Uteem, former president
Dev Manraj, former Financial Secretary
Jaya Krishna Cuttaree diplomat
Madun Dulloo diplomat

[edit] United States

Harvinder "Harry" Anand, Mayor of Laurel Hollow, New York, the first Indian-American Mayor in New York.
Sam Arora, Democratic communications operative.
Kumar P. Barve, State legislator and Majority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates
Raj Peter Bhakta, entrepreneur, former The Apprentice contestant, and 2006 Republican U.S. House nominee in Pennsylvania's 13 congressional district
Subodh Chandra, Attorney in Cleveland OH, ran for Attorney General for the state of Ohio in 2006.
Satveer Chaudhary, state Senator in Minnesota.
Toby Chaudhuri, Democratic communications strategist.
Joy Cherian, 1st Asian and Indian American head of the EEOC
Swati Dandekar, an Iowa State Representative
Bhagwan Dashairya, 2006 nominee for Governor of Michigan of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.
Sonny Dhaliwal, first Indian elected as City Councilman in California for the city of Lathrop, currently serving as Vice Mayor for the city of Lathrop, California.
Mervyn M. Dymally, Prominent Democrat politician; current California State Assemblyman; former State Senator, Lieutenant Governor, and Congressman; first Trinidadian to serve in California State Senate and as California Lt. Governor
Kris Kolluri, New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation.
Upendra Chivukula, state legislator (New Jersey General Assembly); first Indian-American elected to the NJ legislature.
Kamala Harris, District Attorney of San Francisco; first Indian-American elected as a D.A. in the United States. Her sister, Maya Harris, was made the Executive Director of the ACLU of Northern California in October 2006.
Kim Singh, Executive Director Asian American Public Policy Institute, former State Chair of Asian Pacific Islander Caucus California Democratic Party, Vice President Stonewall Democratic Club, awarded Medal Of Honor by President Bill Clinton.
Bobby Jindal, former U.S. Congressman and current Governor of Louisiana; Republican.
Raj Mukherji, New Jersey lobbyist and businessman.
Vij Pawar, New Jersey attorney and former congressional candidate.
Ramesh Ponnuru, contributing editor at the National Review, political commentator
Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian-American congressman, was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
S. R. Sidarth, Democratic campaign volunteer who sparked the George Allen "Macaca" incident.
Shashi Tharoor, Undersecretary General for Communications and Public Information for the United Nations. Candidate for UN general secretary post
Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC & USIBA
Nikki Randhawa Haley, South Carolina legislator, First Republican Indian American state legislator elected in the US
Rachel Paulose first woman to become a U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, US Attorney for the District of Minnesota
Sameer Kanal, Democratic National Convention 2004 delegate for Howard Dean from Washington.
Dr. Joy Cherian Appointed by President Reagan to be first Asian and Indian American to head the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1987.
Nanda Chitre, Former Deputy Press Secretary in the Bill Clinton Administration.
Dr. Arjinderpal Sekhon, Ran for Congress from California's 2nd congressional district
Harry Sidhu, first Indian American elected to Anaheim City Council, November 2004; candidate for California's 33rd Senate District.
Dinesh D'Souza, Influential Conservative Thinker and Former Policy Analyst in the Reagan White House.
Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria , Business leader and 2004 U.S. Senate candidate in Illinois Republican primary
Ravi Singh, Former Republican candidate for Illinois House of Representatives; Key staffer for Lt. Governor Corinne Wood and State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka; founder of ElectionMall.com
Amit Singh, Republican candidate for Congress from Virginia's 8th congressional district