Commemorative Stamp of Late Congressman Dalip S. Saund

The Indian American Heritage Foundation has requested the U.S. Postal Service in Washington D.C to issue a commemorative stamp on November 6, 2006 in honor of the first U.S. Congressman of Asian origin, the India born Dalip Singh Saund, at the fiftieth anniversary of Saunds victory in 1956 congressional election.

Congressman Joe Wilson, Co-Chair of India Caucus has also written to the Stamp Advisory Committee, supporting the cause.

Saund came to the United States for higher education. He earned a masters and doctorate degrees from the University of California, Berkley and started his work life as farm hand. At that time, the natives of India were not permitted to become U.S. citizen. He started the struggle for U.S. citizenship for the people of Indian origin. After a long and hard battle, the bill introduced by Congresswoman Clare Booth and Congressman Emanuel Celler was passed by the U.S. Congress and on July 3, 1946, was signed by President Harry Truman.

After becoming a naturalized citizen of America, Saund started to take more interest in the political process of his new homeland. In 1950, he won the election to the Imperial County Democratic Central Committee and later won election to become a judge in Westmoreland. But the judgeship was denied to him as he was not a citizen for one full year prior to the election. He contested for judgeship again in 1952 and won. In 1956, he won election from the 29th Congressional district. Saund served three terms in the House of Representatives before he was stricken with stroke.

Late Dalip Singh Saund was the first person of Asian origin elected to the U.S. Congress. He is still a source of inspiration and worthy role model for over 10 millions Americans of Asian origin. Today, Asian Americans seeking political office often invoke Saunds name in their election campaigns. It would be a matter of pride for the entire Asian American community to see the life of Congressman Saund honored with a commemorative U.S. postal stamp.

The fiftieth anniversary of his election to the Congress will be on November 6, 2006. I urge the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee to issue a commemorative stamp for the first Asian Congressman, late Dr. Dalip Singh Saund.