Indian Americans running for key positions in Texas municipal elections
Sukh Kaur, Sanjay Singhal, and George M. Kakkanatt
Municipal elections will be held across the state of
Texas
on May 3, Saturday. Texas has emerged as one of the American states with the largest Indian American population at an estimated 450,000, and not surprisingly, several members of the community are running for the municipal and school board elections this weekend.
Dr.
Sukh Kaur
, who is running for San Antonio
City Council
District 1, is a first-term councilwoman who is in a tough race against nine opponents. In June 2023, she won the council election to represent District 1, defeating the incumbent. She is the first South Asian to serve on the San Antonio City Council, and she is committed to championing a local government that prioritises improving the quality of life for residents. Dr Kaur is passionate about education and economic development and works to build a more equitable San Antonio. She holds a doctorate in K-12 educational leadership from Vanderbilt University, an MBA, and a BA from Rice University.
As a city councilmember, her work is centred around five key priorities: infrastructure, public safety, parks and community centres, small businesses, and affordable housing.
Gurvinder Singh is running for the Sachse City Council Place 6. A son of Indian immigrants, Singh had made Sachse his home since 2014. His priority, if elected, will be to ensure that Sachse is economically competitive with other North Texas cities. He will also focus on opportunities for diverse businesses to create jobs and grow. Singh graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in telecommunications, and established successful ventures in real estate, construction, and insurance.
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Dr George M. Kakkanatt, a decorated veteran, community leader, and dedicated public servant, is running for Sugar Land City Council, at-large position 1. He has lived for over 22 years with his wife,
Sally
, and their three children in Texas. A former US Air Force captain, Dr Kakkanatt is also a psychologist and psychotherapist and advocates for mental health and social justice. He holds master's degrees in English literature and social work and a Ph.D. in psychology. As the founding president of the South Indian US Chamber of Commerce and a Fort Bend Chamber member, he promotes economic growth and supports local businesses.
Sanjay Singhal
, an engineer and a resident of Sugar Land for over 10 years, is running for Sugar Land City Council, District 2. He has actively participated in the local community and focused on improving the quality of life of residents. In his corporate role, he has held senior executive experience and led diverse teams, overseen global operations, and managed strategic budgets, gaining valuable leadership experience and problem-solving skills that he now seeks to bring to the city council. His campaign priorities include keeping neighbourhoods safe, investing in future infrastructure, ensuring smart, responsible spending to keep taxes low, and keeping city government transparent and accountable.
Sapana Patel
is a two-term planning & zoning commissioner, appointed by the city council to serve the residents of Sugar Land in ensuring that development plans comply with city ordinances and the city's long-range land use plan. She is now running for Sugar Land City Council from District 4. Patel has been instrumental in leading community grassroots efforts to prevent incompatible and intrusive high-density development adjacent to District 4 neighbourhoods. She is also a nationally recognised realtor, and she mentors and trains new agents. She holds degrees in accounting and marketing from Houston Baptist University.
Impact Fund, an organisation that supports Indian Americans and South Asians running for political office, has endorsed Dr Kaur and Singh for the Texas local elections. 'Local elections often have the biggest impact on our daily lives, yet turnout and participation, especially among our communities, remain low,' the organisation said in a recent statement announcing the endorsement.
The state of Texas also has some Indian Americans in important elected offices, including Ken Mathew, who was elected Mayor for Stafford in June 2023, having already served on the city council since May 2006. Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George was recently urged to step down after he faced money laundering charges. Judge Surendran K. Pattel, who was born and raised in India and was elected judge of the 240th district court in Fort Bend County in 2022.
Sherine Thomas
(Democratic Party) is a judge of the Texas 353rd District Court. She ran and won in the general election in November 2024 and assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on December 31, 2028. Her family immigrated to the US from Delhi in 1971. She has handled cases at every level of state and federal trial and appellate courts, including presenting oral argument at the Texas Supreme Court.
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