DNC Announces New Indo-American Leadership Council Co-Chairs

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today announced the appointment of the new Co-Chairs for the DNC’s Indo-American Leadership Council.

Dr. Mahinder Tak of Bethesda, MD, and Shekar Narasimhan, of Dunn Loring, VA, will serve as National Co-Chairs, while Sunita Gupta Leeds, of Washington, DC, will serve as Advisory Board Chair. All three have been appointed by Chairman Dean to lead the Council through the 2008 election cycle.

Conference Call Information

• The new Co-Chairs will be introduced on a conference call on Wednesday, March 28th at 1:15PM Eastern Time. To RSVP for the conference call and receive call-in information, please contact Cecil Brockman at (202) 863-8148 or by e-mail at brockmanc@dnc.org.

Established in 2004, the DNC Indo-American Leadership Council is comprised of Indian-American professionals, entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders who represent citizens of Indian descent across the nation. The council works to recognize the loyalty, dedication, and generous contributions of the Indian-American community to the Democratic Party, and to provide a platform for political engagement and a forum for the exchange of ideas for Indian-American Democrats.

The new Co-Chairs take over from the current Chair, Ramesh Kapur, an entrepreneur from Boston, MA who helped create the Indo-American Leadership Council at the DNC in 2004. Under Kapur's leadership, the Council raised millions for the national Party and the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2004 cycle.

"I'm proud to announce that Dr. Mahinder Tak and Shekar Narasimhan will serve as Co-Chairs of the DNC Indo American Council, and that Sunita Gupta Leeds will Chair the Council's Advisory Board," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Each of them is firmly committed to advancing the shared ideals and values of the Democratic Party and the Indian-American community. Each of them also understands the importance of encouraging and increasing the participation of the Indian-American community in our American democracy, and that we need the Indian American community not just at the table, but on the ticket. Under their leadership, the Indo-American Leadership Council will no doubt continue the great tradition begun by outgoing Chair Dr. Ramesh Kapur, and have a tremendous impact on helping elect a Democratic President and Democrats up and down the ballot in 2008."

Brief Bios of New DNC Indo-American Council Co-Chairs:

Dr. Mahinder Tak, Co-Chair
Based in Bethesda, MD, Dr. Tak is a retired physician, formerly with the United States Army Reserve, and has been a long-time Democratic supporter. On the Board of Trustees for the National Museum for Women in the Arts, she is also one of the foremost collectors of Indian art and has lent pieces from her collection to the Freer and Sackler Galleries. Dr. Tak and her husband are also supporters of microcredit and women's development in India and elsewhere.

Shekar Narasimhan, Co-Chair
Shekar Narasimhan is a banker and CEO of a public company based out of Dunn Loring, VA. An active Democrat for years, Shekar became particularly involved in 2006 after the incident with his son, S.R. Sidarth, a staffer with the Webb for Senate campaign, and former Senator George Allen. Following the incident, Shekar helped mobilize the Indian-American community, both in Virginia and nationally, to help elect Jim Webb and secure a Democratic majority in the Senate. Shekar is also actively involved with the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in the country, and is the Founding Chair of the Campaign for Affordable Housing.

Sunita Gupta Leeds, Advisory Board Chair
Sunita Gupta Leeds, with her husband Dan Leeds, has been involved in Democratic politics for years. A software developer by training, she is now deeply involved with progressive non-profit causes particularly focused on education, is on three advisory boards related to education, and Co-Chairs The Enfranchisement Foundation, which funds charities that act as catalysts in breaking the cycle of poverty and ignorance, and charities that specialize in women's issues. As Chair of the Council's Advisory Board, Sunita will coordinate a network of Indian-American activists, community leaders, elected officials, and celebrities to support the fundraising and outreach work of the Council.