'This victory would mean a huge inspiration for the next generation who can say that coming from India I can be anybody I want to be if I work hard and acquire the right skills.'
'They could be the next President, members of the Senate, or another Sundar Pichai.'
Democratic National Finance Committee member for Kamala Harris's campaign Ajay Bhutoria is a tech executive and influential community leader who has played a key role in fundraising for Democratic campaigns. He has been instrumental in securing South Asian votes in battleground states and currently serves on the AAPI (Asian-American Pacific Islander) National Leadership Council.
"Even though we are 1% of the population, we are the margin of victory in many battleground states. This definitely shows our strength and involvement of our community," Bhutoria tells Rediff US Contributor Abhijit J Masih.
You've been a strong supporter of Kamala Harris for quite some time and have known her since she ran for Attorney General of California. Can you share a memorable moment from your encounters with her?
I've known Vice President Harris since she was District Attorney, Attorney General, and then I worked with her on a Senate campaign and her Vice Presidential campaign, and then I've also attended her kickoff for President.
One of the most important moments I remember is when she was doing the criminal justice reform in California. And she talked about how young kids would drop out from college, and then go into jails because of some small crimes. Once they go in, they meet bigger criminals, and they come out with a PhD in crime. So she talked about breaking that cycle and getting them into jobs and a path of employment. That reformed a lot of youth lives in Oakland and California.
You've also been a strong advocate for the South Asian and AAPI communities, and you've spoken about Kamala Harris's leadership in the past. What aspects of her background and vision resonate most with you as an Indian-American leader?
When she hosted Prime Minister Modi, I was there at the State lunch, and she talked about her growing up and visiting Chennai and she was talking about her mom's journey from India. That showed a very strong, deep sense of connection she has with India.
She opened the Vice President's residence for the first time and hosted Diwali in such a colorful way. She has been a strong supporter of the US-India relationship.
When President Biden hosted Prime Minister Modi for the State visit, she welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the White House. She supported the defense deal. She supported the revival of Quad.
I have been on the White House AAPI commission, and under President Biden and Vice President Harris, we put recommendation for reducing the green card backlog, we got the visa stamping done, we got employment authorization, but there's still a lot of work to be done. And I'm sure under the Harris-Walz administration; there will be a lot of priorities.
We'll see growth in the US-India relationship at all levels. One of the most important things for our community is protection of our places of worship -- temples, mosques, gurdwaras etc. So, I'm sure that she will provide all the resources needed for our committee to make certain places of worship more secure.
What are the early reports you're getting from across the country?
There's been huge enthusiasm and over 90,000 volunteers have knocked on 3 million doors in battleground states. There are diverse groups of people in the voting line today all around the country, and we feel good where we are.
We have multiple paths to victory, defending the blue wall, winning Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada, and surely she will win 276 plus, which will help us elect Kamala Harris as our next president.
We are very comfortable, very confident. Of course, the early results will come from various states, but we'll have to wait until we get a decision so that the winner can be declared, which will take some time to get all the mail-in ballots.
There's often a perception that political candidates, especially from communities like ours, have to 'prove themselves' even more. How do you think Kamala Harris has navigated these challenges?
Absolutely. Our community's candidates have to work extra hard to earn the trust of the voters, to prove themselves and make sure we are on each and every vote. And that's what this election has been.
During this election, people got to know more about Vice President Harris, who she is and what she stands for. She stands for freedom, for women's rights, for supporting small businesses, for defending democracy, for creating infrastructure and creating new jobs and a new way forward. Keeping the leadership of US across the world and bringing an end to these wars.
She went through the battleground states and to various rallies. In fact, she did three rallies, and so she met thousands of people and they learned about her, and now they trust her, and that's why they are voting for her in large numbers to elect her as the President.
What do you think would be the most important lessons for the Indian American community to take away from the 2024 election cycle, regardless of who ultimately wins the presidency?
Our community is a very hard working and has excelled in all areas and are now growing in the political field. We have more than 100 candidates running from school boards to the Senate and Congress this time.
Even though we are 1% of the population, we are the margin of victory in many battleground states. This definitely shows our strength and involvement of our community, even though there may be diverse thoughts with a percentage of the community supporting Trump.
We definitely see that the participation is going to continue and I would encourage more people from the community to run for office and take a seat.
How would you call the results for the battleground states?
I can confidently say that we will win Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Nevada. That puts us to 276 and we will win the election. Additionally, we may win Georgia.
If Kamala Harris wins, how do you see your role evolving in supporting her administration?
My role was to get her elected. We will see what happens. But I will definitely continue to fight for the causes which are important to our community including economic development, immigration, healthcare and others. I will definitely support her and her administration in all the ways I can.
What would her victory mean for future generations of Indian Americans?
This victory would mean a huge inspiration for the next generation who can say that coming from India I can be anybody I want to be if I work hard and acquire the right skills. They could be the next President, members of the Senate, or another Sundar Pichai.
Her win will inspire millions around the world and Indian Americans to be what they want to be and to rise and succeed.
