The Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO) was founded in Chicago in 1980 by Ranjit Ganguly, Titupataiah Tella, Philip Kalayil and Babubhai Contractor. Their goals, which continue to be the goals of IADO today, are for the organization to be a unified voice for the Indian American community, and to encourage Indian Americans to participate in the political process. For more than two decades, we have lobbied the government on various issues such as to establish fair immigration laws, to improve Indo-U.S. relations, and improve the representation of Indian Americans and Asian Americans in government. We have been successful in registering tens of thousands of Indian Americans to vote, conducted candidates forums during elections years, worked on numerous campaigns for candidates running for local, state, and federal office, led campaigns against media stereotypes, and formed partnerships with Asian American and other communities on various issues such as hate crimes, affirmative action, and glass ceiling issues. Our officers and directors over the years have served on many city and state advisory councils, recently served on Governor Blagojevich and Attorney General Madigan's transition teams, have been appointed as delegates to the Democratic National Convention, have testified at Congressional hearings held by the Civil Rights Committee on the state of the Asian community in Illinois, and at the Illinois State Hearings about redistricting.

The population of Indian American community in the Chicagoland area has more than tripled since 1980. The Census 2000 estimates the Indian American population nationwide at 1,678,765 and in Illinois at 124,723, with the majority of the people residing in Cook County. We have become one of the fastest growing communities, and have also become a more powerful political force than we were more than twenty years ago. We can work together as a community on many issues, such as: immigration, affirmative action, hate crimes, and healthcare, and help to elect those who support the Indian American community, because there is always strength in numbers. Our voices are stronger if we all work together on issues, and vote in the elections. One of IADO's goals in the next millennium, is not only to continue to lobby on behalf of the community on issues that affect us, and to encourage Indian Americans to vote, but also to encourage and support Indian-Americans to run for elected office. In the 1950s, Dalip Singh Saund, was elected as an U.S. Congressman from California. He was the first Indian, and still the only Indian, to hold a seat in Congress. He not only had the support of the Indian American community, but he reached out and won the support of the mainstream population in his district, which was an amazing achievement considering the times. Mr. Saund's achievement has inspired other Indian Americans to successfully run for office, such as State Senator Satveer Chaudhary in Minnesota, State Representatives Kumar Barve in Maryland, Upendra J. Chivukula in New Jersey, and Swati Dandekar in Iowa. We have to support and encourage more Indian Americans to run for office, especially the second generation.

IADO is proud of its accomplishments and we thank all of you for your support throughout the years, and with your continued support, we can continue to make great strides, and achieve our goals in the 21st century.

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