Bera, Tulsi create history; sworn in as US lawmakers

Indian-American physician Ami Bera and the first Hindu US lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard Friday scripted history after being sworn in as newly-elected members of the US House of Representatives.

Bera, 47, is only the third Indian American - after Dalip Singh Saundh in 1950 and Bobby Jindal in 2005 - to have ever been elected to the House of Representatives.

Gabbard, 31, is the first Hindu ever to win the Congressional election. She also became the first to take oath of office on the sacred Bhagavad Gita, instead of the Bible.

They were sworn in as a Member of US House of Representatives by Speaker John Boehner.

Noting that being sworn in as a member of the US House of Representatives is a "culmination of American dream" for his father who migrated from Gujarat in 1950, Bera said besides working on his priority areas of health care and education, he wants to help strengthen the economic relations between India and the US.

"My father migrated in the 1950s from Gujarat and this is a culmination of the American dream for him. He worked hard to see his son be sworn in today in the House of Representatives. It's really the culmination of everything," Bera told PTI at the Capitol Hill.

Democratic lawmaker from California's 3rd congressional district, Bera has been made a member of the powerful House Foreign Committee, where he is likely to play an important role in shaping the foreign policy of his country and work towards achieving his goal of strengthening relationship between India and the US.

Explaining the reasons for taking the oath of office on Gita, Gabbard said, "I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad-Gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country."

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