Ashwin Ramaswami: Meet the Gen Z running for Georgia senate

The Indian-American diaspora is a dominant force in the United States. From politics, big businesses, and academics, the desis are everywhere. The American elections are no different. While some have pulled out of the presidential race ( Vivek Ramasawamy), others like Nikki Haley are going strong. But right now grabbing headlines is 24-year-old Ashwin Ramaswami and his campaign for the Georgia state senate.

The Democrat is the first Indian-American from Gen Z to run for a state or federal legislature in the United States. This is an indication that a new breed of young politicians is emerging from the community.

Who is Ashwin Ramaswami?

Ramaswami’s parents immigrated to the US from Tamil Nadu in 1990, making him a second-generation Indian-American. His mother is from Chennai and his father is from Coimbatore. They work in the Information Technology sector.

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The young desi attended Georgia Tech, Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center and has degrees in computer science and law. He has worked in areas of election security, technology law, and policy research.

The youth is proud of his Indian roots and has a great interest in philosophy. He has also learned about epics like Mahabharata and Ramayan and read the Bhagavad Gita.

“I’ve always grown up with Indian culture and also American culture growing up as well. I’m a Hindu. I’ve been very interested in Indian culture philosophy my whole life,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

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He learned Sanskrit when in college, where he ended up reading a lot of ancient Indian texts. His interest in the Upanishads grew. He is also a yoga practitioner. “My whole life I’ve been very involved in yoga and meditation and now also teaching Baal Vihara to younger students,” Ramaswami said.

The Gen Z candidate takes pride in his heritage and family background and he is always thinking about “those values that we’re bringing to the table as well”.

How did he start working with the government?

Ramaswami has worked with nonprofits, startups, and small businesses to use technology for the public interest and create jobs.

As a civil servant, he worked at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on cybersecurity and election security, working with state and local election offices to secure the 2020 and 2022 elections. He also worked as a legal fellow in the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

“I did my undergraduate at Stanford in computer science. I worked a lot on startups at work, but I soon realised that we need more tech people in the federal government, which is why I joined the federal government and started working on election security and cybersecurity starting in 2020,” he said.

What are his plans for Georgia?

Born and brought up in Georgia, he wants to work for the people of District 48, the Senate seat.

“I’m running for (Georgia) State Senate to give back to my community. I want to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities I had growing up,” Ramaswami told PTI in a recent interview.

The Indian-American is up against Shawn Still, an incumbent who was indicted this fall alongside former US president Donald Trump in an alleged election interference case.

“As a lifelong resident of this district, I understand the challenges we face and opportunities we have for growth. I am committed to bringing inclusive, informed, and forward-thinking leadership to our State Senate,” Ramaswami told Gwinnett Daily Post, a local newspaper.

“We deserve representation that reflects our values, responsible stewardship of our tax dollars, and someone who works tirelessly for the betterment of every community member—unlike Shawn Still’s extremism and pending criminal charges while in office, reflecting his self-interest and unethical behaviour unfitting of a public servant. The time for change is now, and that’s why I’m running for State Senate in the 48th,” he said.

The Zoomer said that he wanted more people to have access to quality education, jobs and the economy, healthcare and reproductive rights. “…all these issues that matter to us. That’s why I’ve been running.”

It is Ramaswami’s age that grabs eyeballs. He claims that his generation is “very politically aware”.

“We very much see the news, we see all these things happening, and we want to ensure a good future for ourselves. But I think one problem we face is we don’t have the resources or ability to actually go and make a difference in the sense that it’s really hard for people my age to get elected because the election process skews towards people who are wealthier and older.

“So that’s one big problem. I hope to show by being successful at this age that we can have that kind of a voice and we can work for everyone regardless of background,” he asserted.

When asked about the impact of his age on the poll campaign, Ramaswami told The Stanford Daily in an interview that he has been learning a lot. “You’re able to talk to so many people, learn so much about what people are facing and be able to be a voice for others. It’s really about bridging that gap.”

“So, of course, I’m talking to people my age who are excited there’s someone like them representing them, but then I’m talking a lot to people from other generations who have the resources that [Gen Z candidates] need to succeed but also understand we need new voices. The most important thing is your integrity and competence,” he concluded.

If the 24-year-old wins, he will create history. He will become the first Indian American and Gen Z member of the Georgia state senate. And Ramaswami looks ready.

With inputs from agencies