The Success of Indian-Descent World Leaders in the USA & UK

 

Source: adamasuniversity.ac.in

Introduction

Today, the success of Indian-origin citizens in the USA and UK is surprisingly remarkable. In these two countries, Indians are at the pinnacle of success in all spheres of profession or occupation. In the last few decades, the number of Indian immigrants in the USA and UK has increased to a great extent. To improve their educational qualification or to find a better livelihood many Indians are migrating abroad at present.

Apart from the other professions, the influence of politicians of Indian descent in global politics has been observed across the world in recent years. Kamala Harris, Rishi Sunak, and other Indian-descent politicians have flourished with great excellence in the world of politics in the USA and UK.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

History of Indian Immigration in the USA & UK

The immigration of Indians to the USA and UK has not started suddenly today. Immigration to the United States from India started in the early 19th century (by contrast, in the mid-nineteenth century) when Indian immigrants began settling in communities along the West Coast. Initially, the number of Indian immigrants was small (a total of 1000 Indians approximately) but gradually increased remarkably from the middle of the 20th century. As of 2019, about 2.7 million Indian immigrants resided in the United States. Today, Indian Immigrants account for approximately 6 per cent of the US foreign-born population, making them the second-largest immigrant group in the country after Mexicans.

After the beginning of British colonial rule in India, many Indians started coming to London for higher education. The period of highest migration from India to England was 1995-1975. In 1981, the Bradford metropolitan district had about 13,000 Indians. This number has increased to more than 1.4 million approximately in the last few years.

The Rise of Indians in Politics in the USA and UK

One cannot help but notice the rise of the Indian diaspora in Britain and the United States where men and women of descent have secured important positions of power. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen how the order of the politics, society, and democracy of many Asian, Western and American countries was affected badly. So, the complexities of the post-pandemic world and domestic orders now demand sobriety and expertise. And in that race of strongman leaders, the Indians become more successful than any other descendants in these countries.

Due to having higher education and better income in the USA and UK, Indians have been able to create their own distinct identities in public offices, industries, and politics as well.

Source: www.newstatesman.com

Kamala Harris as Vice-President in 2020

While we are talking about the success of Indian origins in global politics, the first thing that comes to mind is the success of Kamala Harris in 2020. Harris was chosen as Vice-President in August 2020. The former California Senator and attorney general, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, became the third woman to be named on a major political party’s ticket in the country. She became the first black, Asian and Indian-originated female Vice-President of the United States as well. That was a historically proud and unforgettable moment for all of the Indians when Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice-President in the House of Parliament in the USA.

Source: www.bhaskar.com

Rishi Sunak as the Prime Minister of the UK

Indians across the world witnessed familiar cheers a few days back when Rishi Sunak was appointed as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Before Sunak, such cheering was witnessed when Kamala Harris become Vice-President of the USA as I mentioned earlier. The appointment of Rishi Sunak was highly symbolic because Sunak become the first person of Indian heritage to be the UK Prime Minister. The British had once colonized India and presented that as a “civilizing mission”-the “white man’s burden”- and now Sunak is the leader of that racist country.

The incredible story of Sunak is not in isolation but is representative of the wide success persons of Indian heritage have had in the West, rising to the top positions and holding such power in the political domain that very mainstream party seeks them.

Source: www.indiatoday.in

Indian-Americans Elected to the US House of Representatives

The history of success of Indian Americans in the political arena was once again repeated after 2020 when five Indian-Americans had become members and were selected as members of the US House of Representatives. In an interesting mid-term election, a record five Indian-American politicians from the ruling Democratic Party of the US congress, including Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, and Pramilla Jaypal, were headed to the US House of Representatives on Wednesday last week in the country. It was considered one of the greatest victory of Indian-Descent politicians in global politics.

Shri Thanedar, a former businessman turned politician from India, defeated Martell Bivings to become the first Indian-American to win a Congressional seat from Michigan. This was also a benchmark victory for the Indian Americans in the US as they clenched the tickets to the US House. 

Conclusion

Apart from the USA and UK politicians from the Indian-origin diaspora have been dominating global politics the other countries also like Canada, Mauritius, Portugal, Suriname, Guyana, Singapore, etc. in recent years. The success and the growth of the clout of Indian-American in the political mainstream overseas is just an incredibly amazing and significant occurrence at present. Maybe the whole political scenario of these countries will change in the upcoming years as US and UK favour the Indian-Americans to make their place in the democrats of the USA and UK.

Written by - Joy

Edited by - Kritika Sharma