Tulsi Gabbard first US member of House to take oath on Gita
5 Jan 2013 7:04 AM IST
Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii has created history by not only becoming the first Hindu ever to be sworn in as a member of the US House of Representatives, but also being the first ever US lawmaker to have taken oath of office on the sacred Bhagavad Gita.
Tulsi, 31, was administered the oath of office by the John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ‘I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad-Gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country,’ Gabbard said after the swearing in ceremony on Thursday.
‘My Gita has been a tremendous source of inner peace and strength through many tough challenges in life, including being in the midst of death and turmoil while serving our country in the Middle East,’ she said explaining the reasons for taking the oath of office on Gita.
‘I was raised in a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-faith family. My mother is Hindu; my father is a Catholic lector in his church who also practices mantra meditation. I began to grapple with questions of spirituality as a teenager,’ Gabbard said.
‘Over time, I came to believe that, at its essence, religion gives us a deeper purpose in life than just living for ourselves. Since I was a teenager, I have embraced this spiritual journey through the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. ‘..In so doing, have been blessed with the motivation and strength to dedicate my life in service others in a variety of ways,’ she said.
Proud of her Hindu religion, she is not Indian or of Indian heritage. Her father Mike Gabbard, is currently Hawaii State Senator and mother Carol Porter Gabbard is an educator and business owner.
At 21, she became the youngest person elected to the Hawaii Legislature. At 23, she was the state's first elected official to voluntarily resign to go to war. At 28, she was the first woman to be presented with an award by the Kuwait Army National Guard.
Meanwhile, elated at the swearing in of California-based physician Ami Bera and Iraq war veteran Tulsi Gabbard as US lawmakers, members of the Indian-American community on Friday termed it as a ‘historic day’ hoping that their success story would inspire the younger generation.
Bera and Gabbard created history on Friday after being sworn in as new members of the US House of Representatives. They were administered the oath of office by Speaker John Boehner.
Bera is only the third Indian-American to be a Congressman. Though not an Indian American, Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to be a US lawmaker.
A large number of members of the Indian-American community, in particular the Hindus, have supported Gabbard’s campaign from the very beginning.
‘Representative Gabbard and Dr Bera serve as an inspiration to Hindu students across the nation. These historic elections have hopefully opened the flood gates to having more members of the next generation with Hindu backgrounds find their voices in America’s political system,’ said Sohini Sircar, general secretary of Hindu Students Council.
TIME FOR A TOAST
Elated at the swearing in of California-based physician Ami Bera and Iraq war veteran Tulsi Gabbard as US lawmakers, members of the Indian-American community on Friday termed it as a ‘historic day’ hoping that their success story would inspire the younger generation.
Bera is only the third Indian-American to be a Congressman. Though not an Indian American, Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to be a US lawmaker
A large number of members of the Indian-American community have supported Gabbard’s campaign
INDIA-AMERICAN RENOMINATED FEDERAL JUDGE
Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal judges re-nominated by the US President Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals. Srinivasan is the only Indian American re-nominated by Obama for the District of Columbia Circuit.
‘On Friday, I am re-nominating thirty-three highly qualified candidates for the federal bench, including many who could have and should have been confirmed before the Senate adjourned,’ Obama said. ‘Several have been awaiting a vote for more than six months, even though they all enjoy bipartisan support. I continue to be grateful for their willingness to serve and remain confident that they will apply the law with the utmost impartiality and integrity,’ he said.
‘I urge the Senate to consider and confirm these nominees without delay, so all Americans can have equal and timely access to justice,’ Obama said in a statement. Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh, and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He received his BA with honors and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University.
Tulsi, 31, was administered the oath of office by the John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ‘I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad-Gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country,’ Gabbard said after the swearing in ceremony on Thursday.
‘My Gita has been a tremendous source of inner peace and strength through many tough challenges in life, including being in the midst of death and turmoil while serving our country in the Middle East,’ she said explaining the reasons for taking the oath of office on Gita.
‘I was raised in a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-faith family. My mother is Hindu; my father is a Catholic lector in his church who also practices mantra meditation. I began to grapple with questions of spirituality as a teenager,’ Gabbard said.
‘Over time, I came to believe that, at its essence, religion gives us a deeper purpose in life than just living for ourselves. Since I was a teenager, I have embraced this spiritual journey through the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. ‘..In so doing, have been blessed with the motivation and strength to dedicate my life in service others in a variety of ways,’ she said.
Proud of her Hindu religion, she is not Indian or of Indian heritage. Her father Mike Gabbard, is currently Hawaii State Senator and mother Carol Porter Gabbard is an educator and business owner.
At 21, she became the youngest person elected to the Hawaii Legislature. At 23, she was the state's first elected official to voluntarily resign to go to war. At 28, she was the first woman to be presented with an award by the Kuwait Army National Guard.
Meanwhile, elated at the swearing in of California-based physician Ami Bera and Iraq war veteran Tulsi Gabbard as US lawmakers, members of the Indian-American community on Friday termed it as a ‘historic day’ hoping that their success story would inspire the younger generation.
Bera and Gabbard created history on Friday after being sworn in as new members of the US House of Representatives. They were administered the oath of office by Speaker John Boehner.
Bera is only the third Indian-American to be a Congressman. Though not an Indian American, Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to be a US lawmaker.
A large number of members of the Indian-American community, in particular the Hindus, have supported Gabbard’s campaign from the very beginning.
‘Representative Gabbard and Dr Bera serve as an inspiration to Hindu students across the nation. These historic elections have hopefully opened the flood gates to having more members of the next generation with Hindu backgrounds find their voices in America’s political system,’ said Sohini Sircar, general secretary of Hindu Students Council.
TIME FOR A TOAST
Elated at the swearing in of California-based physician Ami Bera and Iraq war veteran Tulsi Gabbard as US lawmakers, members of the Indian-American community on Friday termed it as a ‘historic day’ hoping that their success story would inspire the younger generation.
Bera is only the third Indian-American to be a Congressman. Though not an Indian American, Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to be a US lawmaker
A large number of members of the Indian-American community have supported Gabbard’s campaign
INDIA-AMERICAN RENOMINATED FEDERAL JUDGE
Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal judges re-nominated by the US President Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals. Srinivasan is the only Indian American re-nominated by Obama for the District of Columbia Circuit.
‘On Friday, I am re-nominating thirty-three highly qualified candidates for the federal bench, including many who could have and should have been confirmed before the Senate adjourned,’ Obama said. ‘Several have been awaiting a vote for more than six months, even though they all enjoy bipartisan support. I continue to be grateful for their willingness to serve and remain confident that they will apply the law with the utmost impartiality and integrity,’ he said.
‘I urge the Senate to consider and confirm these nominees without delay, so all Americans can have equal and timely access to justice,’ Obama said in a statement. Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh, and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He received his BA with honors and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University.
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