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Newsmakers of the Week JULY 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 30

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

NIRAV SHAH A R RAHMAN

Indian American Impact Endorses Musician captivates Washington

Candidate for U.S. Senate with National Symphony Orchestra

Washington, DC

ndian American Impact has endorsed Nirav Shah for United States Senate
in Maine. If elected, Shah would be only the second South Asian American
Iever to serve in the U.S. Senate, and the only South Asian American cur- Washington, DC
rently sitting in the chamber.
Indian American Impact endorsed Shah earlier this year in his campaign usic maestro A R Rahman captivated a packed audience during his
for Governor of Maine. Shah enters the race with real grassroots strength. concert with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap, earning
During his campaign for governor, he hosted more than 30 town halls — more Ma standing ovation.
than any other candidate in the primary — and finished first in the initial Presented soon after the recent United States’ 250th anniversary celebra-
round of voting, winning both of Maine’s congressional districts and more tions, the concert brought together Indian classical music, Western symphonic
towns than any other candidate. arrangements and contemporary compositions in a format that reflected Rah-
Chintan Patel, Executive Director of Indian American Impact, released man’s approach to music over the past three decades.
the following statement:
“We are proud to endorse Nirav Shah for United States Senate because Accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra, Rahman pre-
Maine deserves a fighter, not another term of Susan Collins enabling Trump’s
corruption after nearly thirty years in Washington. Nirav has already earned sented orchestral versions of several of his compositions, with In-
that trust with Mainers, finishing first in the initial round of voting for gover- dian instruments, classical vocals and live dance integrated into
nor with real grassroots strength.
Nirav has always led through crises with steadiness and competence, and the production. The orchestral arrangements complemented the
now he’s ready to fight for the people who need it most by: lowering health Indian musical elements, creating a balanced sound that resonat-
care costs, holding billionaires and corporations accountable, and standing up
for our immigrant neighbors against Trump’s attacks. If elected, Nirav would ed throughout the evening, as per a press note.
be only the second South Asian American ever to serve in the U.S. Senate,
and the only one serving in the Senate now. Rahman also shared the spotlight with his ensemble of singers and musi-
Indian American Impact has stood with Nirav from his first campaign, cians, introducing each performer to the audience and giving them space to lead
and we are proud to stand with him again as he takes on Susan Collins.” different sections of the concert. Their performances added depth to the eve-
Since its inception in 2016, Indian American Impact has endorsed and ning and reflected the collaborative nature of the production.
supported 200+ candidates across the country, contributing to the historic Another standout moment was an orchestral presentation from Rahman’s
rise of Indian and South Asian American representation in politics. Through Ramayan project with composer Hans Zimmer. Enhanced by a graceful classi-
strategic investments and grassroots organizing, Impact has marshaled up- cal Indian dance performance, the piece seamlessly blended mythology, sweep-
wards of $20 million to candidates and robust voter mobilization and policy ing orchestral music, and traditional storytelling, earning one of the night’s most
advocacy efforts, amplifying the voices of South Asian Americans and driving enthusiastic ovations.
positive change in communities nationwide. Continued on next page... >>

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