Namrata “Nikki” Randhawa race for South Carolina Governor, A Punjabi Women

Daughter of a Punjabi Sikh immigrant from Amritsar, Namrata “Nikki” Randhawa Haley, is another Bobby Jindal in the making.

Nikki, 37, as she is popularly known, has announced her candidacy for Republican Party nomination for the Governor of South Carolina, which will go to poll next year.

Presently, she is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

If elected, Nikki would be the second Indian American and first women of the community to be the Governor of a State, after Bobby Jindal, who is the Governor of Louisiana.

“I know, I am going to make this happen. I am going to win the race,” Nikki said in an interview at the Capitol Hill, where she attended a fund raising event in her support organised by the Indian American Republican Political Action Committee.

In little over a month of announcing her candidacy, Nikki has carved a niche for herself in the list of Republican aspirants and has already received encouraging comments from top political leaders of the State, including the South Carolina Governor, Sanford.

“My parents are extremely proud. My husband is very supportive. My children are excited. My siblings are willing go out work for me,” she said.

“When I started to see issues, they (parents) were the first cheer leaders to do this,” she added.

When asked about the entry of Indian-Americans in US politics, she said: “I think, Indian American issues are American issues. We want to get involved earlier because we have realise that what is happening in government, will affect us and our children. I think, more young people need to get involved.”
Briefing about her agenda, Nikki said her goal would be to rein in spending and to provide jobs to people in State, to try and improve education, and make health care accessible in South Carolina.

Speaking on the occasion, Tarun Patel, from Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said community is thrilled to see a second Indian American running for Governorship, after Bobby Jindal.

In 2004, Nikki was the first Indian-American Republican to win a State House seat.

She is recognised as a pro-business leader in the fight for lower taxes as well as an outspoken advocate for added accountability in the legislature.