150+ Indian American Delegates from 25 States Meet 100+ Congressional Offices During FIIDS 4th Annual Capitol Hill Day
FIIDS Delegates on the Capitol Hill June 23 2026
FIIDS PA Delegates Meeting With PA-1 Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick
FIIDS Delegates Meeting Representatives on the hill
🇺🇸🇮🇳 FIIDS led 150+ Indian American delegates from 25 states in 100+ Capitol Hill meetings discussing Indo-Pacific, U.S.–India, immigration & contributions.
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), representing the policy interests of more than 5.1 million Indian Americans, successfully concluded its 4th Annual Indian American Capitol Hill Day, bringing together over 150 delegates, including 35 youth and more than 40 women leaders, from 25 states to meet with over 100 Congressional offices and 16 U.S. Senate offices, making it one of the largest coordinated Indian American advocacy initiatives on Capitol Hill.
Delegates met in 25 groups of 5–8 constituents with Members of Congress and senior staff in focused 30-minute policy meetings. Similar to the engagement highlighted by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, these were substantive working sessions where delegates presented policy priorities, shared community experiences, answered questions, and recommended legislative actions.
FIIDS' policy team—Khanderao Kand, Mohan Sonti, Sarika Soni, Anjana Murthy, and Spandan Gandhi—reviewed nearly 300 bills from the 118th and 119th Congresses, identifying 38 bills across eight policy areas before selecting the five highest-priority issues for advocacy.
"The success of this year's Capitol Hill Day demonstrates the growing civic maturity of the Indian American community. This was not a symbolic visit—it was informed citizen advocacy built on months of preparation. Indian Americans demonstrated they are ready to help shape policies that strengthen America's competitiveness, security, democratic values, Indo Pacific security, and the U.S.–India partnership. FIIDS committed to sustained bipartisan engagement for constructive progress."
— Khanderao, President & Chief of Policy and Strategy
Five Key Policy Priorities FIIDS discussed for:
Strengthening the U.S.–India Strategic Partnership
Indo-Pacific Security and Supply Chain Resilience
Recognizing Indian American contributions while addressing rising hate and bias
Critical Minerals and Trusted Supply Chains
Legal Immigration Reform for American Competitiveness
Delegates urged Congress to strengthen the Quad, expand maritime and space cooperation, protect subsea communication cables, support the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as an alternative to the Suez Canal, and advance trusted critical mineral partnerships, including codifying initiatives such as Prax Silica, to reduce dependence on China.
Strong Bipartisan Support: Across Republican and Democratic offices, Members of Congress described the U.S.–India relationship as one of the world's most consequential strategic partnerships. Congressman Darin LaHood reaffirmed that stronger U.S.–India cooperation and deeper engagement with Indo-Pacific partners are essential to America's long-term security and economic competitiveness.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta and several other lawmakers praised the extraordinary contributions of Indian Americans. FIIDS highlighted that although Indian Americans comprise about 1% of the U.S. population, they account for one in five U.S. patents, one in four startups, nearly 10% of physicians, 60% of hotel ownership, contribute 4–5% of federal income taxes, and help create 10–11 million American jobs.
Immigration and Community Priorities: Delegates emphasized that modernizing legal immigration is critical for America's innovation leadership. FIIDS highlighted concerns over decades-long employment-based green card backlogs caused by the 7% per-country cap, H-1B visa appointment delays, children aging out while waiting for permanent residency, and the need to retain global STEM talent.
Congresswoman Deborah Ross emphasized the importance of legal immigrants and their children to America's future. Arizona youth delegate Kopal Sharma shared, "America's CHILDREN Act wasn't just policy—it is my story too. Behind every policy are real people, families, and futures."
Previous congressional candidate from PA-12 and FIIDS regional director, Bhavini Patel reported that delegates also discussed the remarkable contributions of Indian Americans alongside concerns about rising misinformation and bias. Members and staff appreciated the community’s contributions, listened attentively, constructively to these concerns and supported religious freedom.
Youth Leadership and Community Engagement: One of Capitol Hill Day's defining strengths was the participation of students. FIIDS Internship Program lead Prasad Koranne observed that the experience would have a lasting impact on participating youth. Krisha Ekbote appreciated the opportunity to ensure Indian American concerns are heard and shared that Congressman Tim Moore personally gave the North Carolina delegation a tour of the Capitol. Jahnavi Rastogi reflected that immigration policy is ultimately about people and America's future, while Oregon youth delegate Shivom Pandya was personally encouraged by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici for participating in public policy advocacy at such a young age.
Months of Preparation, Thousands of Miles: The success of Capitol Hill Day reflected months of policy briefings and training that prepared delegates to present concise, evidence-based recommendations.
Delegates traveled from across the country from Seattle to Boston and Chicago to Houston, with teams from Detroit, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Raleigh driving long distances, including an 11-hour drive from Detroit. Bothell City Councilman Prasad Anguluri purchased a last-minute airfare costing over $2,000, while Sachinra Nath, Silicon Valley lead, rerouted through Toronto during a family bereavement without missing the event. Silicon Valley's Harish Kandpal flew overnight, participated in meetings all day, and returned the same evening.
Advocacy even began before delegates reached Washington. Following flight delays, Sid Mahant and Rajeev Babbar met Congressman James Baird at the airport, turning an unexpected delay into an impromptu policy discussion.
The event also showcased remarkable leadership from accomplished women, including Hema Rachmale, Roli Rastogi, Deepti Suri, Deepti Saran, Pranjali Dani, Dr. Lakshmi, Dr. Sai, Gargi Kand, Arati Rana, Bindu Patel, Supriya, Carol, Sridevi, Manisha Shah, and Rasita, who described the experience as timely, impactful, and deeply fulfilling.
Various congressional and state candidates including Ashok Baddi, Sid Mahant, and Max Ganorkar also played key leadership role. Community leaders like Nar Koppula, and Nirav Patel summarized this as an effective exercise. Vibhuti Jha emphasized that direct conversation is the most significant way to influence. Rakesh Malhotra remarked that "the future of the U.S.–India partnership is brighter than ever," while Devesh Pandit observed, "The success of this event shows that Indian Americans have finally arrived."
Yogi Chugh, VP of Political Liaison, concluded, "The success of Capitol Hill Day demonstrates the growing civic engagement of the Indian American community and its commitment to contributing constructively to America's future through informed public policy and democratic participation."
Khanderao thanked its Government Affairs Communications team—Sayli Nitin, Nandini Kuppa, Shivani Kand, and Yatharth Tomar—for scheduling 100s meetings along with DMV volunteers led by Swami Bogarappu, Ashwin Reddy, Pranay Kohli, Ravindra and Srinivasa for coordinating logistics.
Khanderao Kand
Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies
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