Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund
Painting on canvass of Saund
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 29th Congressional district
In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1963
Preceded by	John J. Phillips
Succeeded by	George Brown, Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1899-09-20)September 20, 1899 Chhajulwadi, Punjab, India
Died	Hollywood, California
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Marian Saund
Children	Dalip Singh Saund Jr., Julie Saund, Ellie Saund
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley
Religion	Sikhism

Dalip Singh Saund (Punjabi: ਦਲੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੌਂਦ) (September 20, 1899 – April 22, 1973) was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He served the 29th District of California from January 3, 1957 to January 3, 1963. He was the first Sikh/Punjabi Asian American/Indian American elected as a voting member of the United States Congress.

Biography

Born in Chhajulwadi, Punjab, India, to a Sikh family, he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Punjab in 1919.

He immigrated to the United States (via Ellis Island) originally to study agriculture at the University of California, Berkeley. While at the university, he obtained a master's degree (1922) and a PhD (1924), both in mathematics. He thereafter remained in the United States, becoming a successful farmer.

Later, he campaigned to allow "Sikhs and Hindus", as all people of South Asian descent were called at that time, to become naturalized citizens. After the Luce-Celler Act was passed in 1946, he applied for naturalization and became an American citizen in 1949. He ran for election in 1950 as a Justice of the Peace for Westmoreland township, California, and won the election, but his election was thrown out as he had been a citizen for less than a year. He later ran again for the same post and won.

In November 1955, he announced his campaign to run for the House of Representatives as a Democrat and won an election for an open seat against a famous Republican aviator, Jacqueline Cochran. He was re-elected twice, becoming the first Asian American, the first Indian American and first member of a non-Abrahamic faith to be elected to Congress.

In May 1962, Saund suffered a severe stroke which left him unable to speak or walk without assistance. He was defeated for reelection by Republican Patrick Martin by a 56% to 44% margin.

Publications authored

• LCC DS421 .S25 OCLC 253315388
  • This book was written as a critique to the sensational Mother India, by Katherine Mayo, which argued against Indian self-rule.
• LCC E748.S28 A3

See also

• List of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress

References and notes

• Dalip Singh Saund at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• "Triumph and Tragedy of Dalip Saund" by Tom Patterson, California Historian, June 1992 (PDF)
• PBS special "Roots in the Sand"

External links

• Dalip Singh Saund materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
• Dalip Singh Saund at Find a Grave

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by John J. Phillips	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 29th congressional district 1957–1963	Succeeded by George Brown, Jr.