New Delhi: Ashwin Ramaswami, the first Indian-American from Generation Z, is creating history by entering the race for a state or federal legislature in the United States, showcasing a surge of young politicians from the community.
Ramaswami’s parents came to the US from Tamil Nadu in 1990. Generation Z, also known as Zoomers, includes those born between 1997 and 2012.
A second-generation Indian-American, with a background in software engineering, election security, and technology law and policy research, is running as a Democrat for State Senate in Georgia’s District 48.
Ramaswami, a Democrat, aims to replace the current Republican incumbent Shawn Still, who faced charges related to the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol alongside former President Donald Trump.
His parents are both from the IT sector.
His parents arrived in the US during the 1990s. Both of them come from the IT sector – his mom from Chennai and his dad from Coimbatore. Growing up, he has been immersed in both Indian and American cultures. Being a Hindu, he has maintained a keen interest in Indian cultural philosophy throughout his life.
Growing up, he attended Chinmaya Mission Balavihar, where he was introduced to epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita.
Hailing from Georgia, Ramaswami has collaborated with nonprofits, startups, and small businesses, utilizing technology for public benefit and job creation.
In his role as a civil servant, he served at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), focusing on cybersecurity and election security. His responsibilities included collaborating with state and local election offices to ensure the security of the 2020 and 2022 elections. Additionally, he worked as a legal fellow in the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
If he wins, Ramaswami would be Georgia’s first Gen Z State Senator and the sole state legislator in Georgia holding degrees in both computer science and law. Additionally, he would make history as the first Indian American in the Georgia State legislature.