Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund ( born September 20, 1899 in Amritsar, India, † 22 April 1973 in Hollywood, California ) was an American politician. Between 1957 and 1963 he represented the state of California in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the first and only Sikh who was elected to Congress.

Career

Dalip Saund grew up in the former British colony of India, where he attended the public schools. He studied until 1919 at the University of the Punjab, Lahore. In 1920, Saund came to Los Angeles, where he continued until 1922 at the local University of California his education. Between 1930 and 1953, Saund built in the Imperial Valley in California salad on. Since 1953, he acted with chemical fertilizers in Westmorland. Since 1949 he was an American citizen. From 1952 to 1957 he served as justice of the peace in his home district. At the same time he proposed as a member of the Democratic Party launched a political career. In the years 1952, 1956 and 1960 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions relevant.

In the congressional elections of 1956, Saund was the 29th electoral district of California in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC chosen, where he became the successor of John Phillips on January 3, 1957. In the election he had prevailed against the Republican Jacqueline Cochran. After two re- election he was able to complete in Congress until January 3, 1963 a third legislative periods. This time was determined by the events of the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement. Dalip Saund was the first congressman, who came from India. In 1962 he was not re-elected. He died on April 22, 1973 in Hollywood.