sunjay.awate@expressindia.com
"In America anyone can succeed, even in politics", Kumar says. This only goes on to prove how the pattern has changed over the decades. Indian-Americans have actively started to rise as the policy makers, and Marathis are the forerunners. SUNJAY AWATE looks at Kumar Barve's journey in American politics.
When Gazette.net, an online Maryland community newspaper sent ballots to a cross-section of about 100 Statehouse insiders, lobbyists, members of the Ehrlich administration, Democratic and Republican operatives and some journalists - to rank the legislators based on how effective they are, one name featured prominently amongst the ten most effective delegates. He was Mr. Kumar Barve.
Kumar's grandfather, Shankar L. Gokhale, was the President of Holkar College in Indore, India. His grandfather immigrated to the United States a century ago, in 1911. It was not really an easy task then. The world order was different before the first world war. Barve's mother, Neera, was born in Schenectady, New York. His father, Prabhakar Barve, came to the U.S. in 1957 after studying architecture at the Hammersmith School of Building in London, England.
Kumar Barve,a third generation American, was born in New York State and did his graduation at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He first got involved in politics as a student. Barve is the chief finance officer of a software development company. He also manages Environmental Management Services which provides services for clean up of toxic waste sites. Kumar Barve is the first person of Indian origin to be elected as a state legislator in the history of the United States. According to the available statistics, currently Barve, Satveer Chaudhary and Swati Dandekar are the only elected Hindus serving in state legislatures of the United States of America. As a journalist commented, 'Barve is known for his sharp wit, self-effacing sense of humor and deep commitment to his community. He distinguished himself with his vigorous, grassroots appeal-going door to door and explaining his agenda, which include issues as environment, education and women's rights.' He underlined the need for Marathi and Indian community to get more involved in the political process. In one interview, Barve, 48 said: "I win in my district by focusing on issues that matter to my constituents. I don't run for office in a polarized county, my district is heavily Democratic-leaning in Maryland."
He believes that being a candidate of Marathi origin is no disadvantage in American politics. In fact, his Indian background helped him in politics. The diversity in India helped him to understand the diverse culture and problems in the US and in his state particularly. According to the most recent information available at wikipedia, American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland is the second wealthiest state in the United States, with a median household income of $61,592 It was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution, and is nicknamed the Old Line State and the Free State. Maryland is a life sciences hub with over 350 biotechnology firms, making it third-largest such cluster in the nation. Institutions and agencies located throughout Maryland include University of Maryland.
"In America anyone can succeed, even in politics," Kumar says. This only goes on to prove how the pattern has changed over the years. Indian-Americans have actively started to emerge as the policy makers, and Marathis are the forerunners. The community has reaped rich political dividends. A huge change for a community which avoided politics a few decades ago. Though it is said that South Asians have a long way to go before they can be recognized as a politically influential group like other ethnic minorities like African Americans, Marathi community is marching towards new age. Its rise of new Maharashtra… a global Maharashtra. What Mr. Barve did as a politician is definitely admirable. He is known for his deep commitment to his community. He chairs the science and technology subcommittee on economic matters and he has focused on health care reform and technology issues He introduced and helped enact the Patient Access Act-the first bill in the nation to regulate HMOs. It has since been copied by 34 states. The Act permits patients to see doctors outside of their HMO network, prohibits "gag" rules on health-care providers that jeopardized patient care, and prohibits financial incentives that curtailed and compromised care. Long before the federal government got involved, Barve was one of the architects of the Maryland law that banned insurance companies from using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage. Barve authored Maryland's version of the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). The Act both affirms the intellectual-property rights of software developers and provides unprecedented consumer protections to purchasers of computer equipment. Barve created the Technology Development Corporation of Maryland, which has become the central focal point for fostering high-technology development in Maryland.
Barve epitomizes the success of the Indian-American community and proves that they can succeed in anything, anywhere.