The district, created in 1965, has over 13,400 students who attend its 12 schools. He is one of a few Indians contesting in the coming general election from the Bay Area. There are 26,000 voters, of whom Indian Americans number a mere 2,400. Thus, it is imperative that he garner mainstream support.

The board consists of five members; this year, elections are being held for three of these seats, with five candidates in the fray.

Mitra believes he has a fair shot. He has been working in the community for quite some time and has name recognition among the voters. The Democratic Party has endorsed his candidacy, as has the teachers' union. A civil engineering graduate from India, Mitra came to the US in 1982. He earned his master's in civil engineering from Ohio State University. For the past 20 years, he has been working in the information technology industry.

Recently he was appointed to the Measure A Bond Oversight Committee in Union City and currently serves as vice-chair. He has a plan, he says, to improve the quality of education. "We all want to see small class sizes, current technology, and teachers of the highest quality. But we can't have the best if the School Board does not manage and spend district funds appropriately.

"If we are forced to cut the budget, we must first cut bureaucracy, not classrooms."