DHAKA: In the spirit of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, US Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) hosted a meet and greet four Asian-American candidates running for the US House of Representatives, two of which included candidates of Indian descent. 

The event, which took place at the Queens Crossing building in Flushing, Queens, in New York on Sunday last, was sponsored by @TheTable, a Political Action Committee Meng established this past February to help up and coming candidates including  young political contenders, women and those from immigrant communities. 

The candidates included:

Upendra Chivukula – Candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District

Upendra Chivukula is running in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District (following the retirement of Congressman Holt). With only a few dollars in his pocket, Upendra immigrated to the US in 1974 and received a Masters Degree in New York before becoming a valuable leader for New Jersey. He has served in the New Jersey General Assembly as Vice Chair of the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee and holds the distinction of being the first Indian-American elected to the New Jersey Legislature. 

Manan Trivedi - Candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District

Manan Trivedi, an American of Indian descent, is running in Pennsylvania's open 6th Congressional District (following the retirement of Jim Gerlach). During the Iraq War, Manan served as a battalion surgeon with the United States Marine Corps. He earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Commendation Medal, and his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

Roy Cho - Candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District

Roy Cho is running in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District . The son of Korean immigrants, Roy Cho is a believer in the promise of the American dream. He attended New Jersey public schools and went on to study at Brown and Georgetown. Roy is on the Board of New Jersey Needs You, the sister nonprofit of the highly successful New York Needs You organization and is currently on a leave of absence as a mergers and acquisitions and private equity attorney from the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Ted Lieu - Candidate for Congress in California's 33rd Congressional District

Ted Lieu is running in California's open 33rd Congressional District (following the retirement of Congressman Waxman). Ted is a prime example of the American dream - growing up poor and then serving his country in the military, Torrance City Council, and then in the California State Assembly and Senate.

The meet and greet was attended by approximately 50 people.

BDST: 2000 HRS, MAY 20, 2014