JAIPUR: Democratic leader Pia Dandiya, who won Florida’s 22nd Congressional District in the US midterm elections, has strong roots in Jaipur. Dandiya, who defeated Republican candidate Casey Askar, was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida, to parents who emigrated from Jaipur and settled in the US in the 1980s.
Florida’s election results show that Dandiya secured 150,907 votes, or 51.92%, while Askar received 139,747 votes, or 48.08%. Dandiya’s victory makes her the second Indian-American woman elected to the US House of Representatives, after Pramila Jayapal. She is also set to become the first South Asian American to represent Florida in Congress.
Pia Dandiya’s father, Dr Rohit Dandiya, is a physician who studied medicine in Jaipur. Her mother, Bharati, completed her master’s degree in English literature at the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur in the 1970s. After moving to the US, her mother established a Montessori school in Jupiter, where the family settled.
Pia’s parents often took her to India during her childhood to visit her grandparents and other relatives in Jaipur. Later, as a teenager, she spent a summer teaching children in a community in New Delhi, an experience that subsequently shaped her interest in education.
Dandiya studied government and public policy at Harvard University and earned a master’s degree in education from Boston University. She began her career as a teacher through Teach For America and later became the founding principal of Democracy Prep Endurance High School in Harlem at the age of 28. According to her campaign website, around 86% of the school’s students came from low-income families, and every graduate secured admission to college.
Dandiya later served as a White House Fellow, working with the Domestic Policy Council and the US Department of Education. She subsequently led public-sector projects at Apple focusing on education, healthcare and government services. Her campaign highlighted education, affordability and economic opportunity as her key priorities.
Among the many Indian-Americans celebrating her victory is Dr Purnima Voria, a senior executive committee member of the Rajasthan Foundation in New York, who described it as a "victory that makes Rajasthan proud".
In a special message, Voria said, "Heartiest congratulations to Congresswoman-elect Pia Dandiya on this remarkable achievement! Your victory is a moment of immense pride for Rajasthan and the entire Indian-American community. We celebrate your success and wish you an inspiring journey of leadership and public service."
Florida’s 22nd Congressional District was redrawn ahead of the election, creating an open-seat contest. Dandiya had initially planned to contest from the 21st District but shifted her campaign after the boundaries changed. The new district covers parts of Palm Beach, Broward, Hendry and Collier counties.
Dandiya will take her seat when the new Congress convenes in January.