Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund was an Indian-American politician who made significant contributions to American politics. He was the first Indian American and first Sikh elected to the US Congress and served three terms as a representative from California's 29th congressional district.

Born in the Punjab region of India in 1899, Saund moved to the United States in 1920 to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in mathematics. After a successful career as a farmer in California's Imperial Valley, Saund became involved in local politics, serving as a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

In 1956, Saund ran for Congress as a Democrat and won, becoming the first Asian American to serve in Congress. He was re-elected twice and served in Congress until 1963. During his time in Congress, Saund worked on issues related to agriculture and immigration, as well as civil rights and the rights of farmworkers.

Saund's election to Congress was groundbreaking for Asian Americans, who had long faced discrimination and exclusion from mainstream American society. His success paved the way for other Asian Americans to enter politics and helped to break down barriers to equal representation in government.