Swati Dandekar is elected NWFL president

In yet another trailblazing first, Iowa State Senator Swati Dandekar has been elected to serve in leadership for the nation's oldest organization addressing the needs of elected women at all levels of government. Dandekar, a Democrat, is the new president-elect of the National Order of Women Legislators—the membership arm of the National Foundation for Women Legislators—and she will be formally installed at NFWL's next annual meeting.

As president of the Order, Dandekar will lead the oldest and largest women's legislative membership organization in the country, celebrating its 71st anniversary this year. The Order works directly through NFWL to provide educational resources and public policy materials to women elected officials at all levels of government from every state.

Dandekar said that "I am honored that my colleagues across the country have entrusted me with the responsibility of leading the organization throughout this next year," and added: "I am looking forward to building relationships across state lines in order to address vital public policy issues."

She said these issues include creating higher standards for public schools, re-energizing local economies through innovative community and state initiatives, investment in strengthening telecommunications, developing clean and renewable energy technologies, and access to healthcare.

Dandekar told rediff.com that the NFWL "is a nonpartisan group, in which all political parties work together on today's most pressing issues—jobs, education, energy, etc, and in today's work, when many political observers tend to focus on bitter partisanship, as president of the organization, I hope to highlight just how well most legislators work together, regardless of their political philosophy, to make our nation and our states better."

Spelling out the priorities on her agenda, she said, "Renewable energy is a popular topic today, and with good reason—it offers America some great opportunities. So, I want to focus the NFWL's policy committee's attention on renewable sources of energy—from wind power to ethanol and bio-diesel.' Dandekar said that "by increasing our production of renewable fuels, we can make our country less dependent on foreign oil, while creating high-paying jobs in our communities."

She also said all along in her legislative career, I've been committed to maintaining high educational standards in our schools," and hence, asserted that yet another top priority for her in her new leadership position would be to "to keep student achievement front and center in my work with the NFWL policy committee."

Dandekar said that "as I always have, I will certainly bring my Indian and Indian American experience and the sensitivity of the ethnic minority perspective to the table," but emphasized that "I want to do what's good for all Americans because what's important to the mainstream community—their concerns and issues—are also what's important to our own Indian American community and the broader Asian American community, whether it's education, whether it's healthcare, and of course in today's economy, jobs."

She also said, "I always believe in action rather than talk," and recalled that "my grandfather used to frequently advise me in Marathi, 'Bolel to karel kai, garjel to padel kai (those who talk do not do anything, just like the cloud that rumbles does not produce any rain).'"

In November 2002 she  became the first person of Indian origin to win a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives when she emerged victorious from District 36. Dandekar won re-elections in November 2004 and 2006 and in 2008, won the election to the Iowa Senate from District 18 and serves on the Standing Committees on Commerce, Ecnomic Growth, Rebuild Iowa, Transportation, Ways & Means and the Ecnomic Development Appropriations Subcommittee.

Prior to becoming a state legislator, she served two terms on the Linn-Mar Community School Board. Then Iowa Governor and currently Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, also appointed Dandekar to the Vision Iowa Board for three years since its inception in 2000. This Board provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational and entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa.

She has also held several community leadership positions and has received numerous awards for her work, including the , the 2002 India Abroad Person of the Year Award, 2003 Pillar of the Community Award, 2003 Person of the Year Award from Asian Alliance of Iowa, and the 2008 Asia Pacific American Person of the Year Award by Asian Week.

Currently, Dandekar serves on the Iowa Math and Science Coalition, the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation and the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted & Talented.