Raja Krishnamurthi, a Tamilian by birth is the Democratic nominees for the 8th Congressional District of Illinois and appears to be a strong contender to become a member of the US Congress, reported The Hindu.
The 42-year-old Krishnamurthi holds an Engineering degree from Princeton and is also an alumnus of Harvard Law School. He worked with President Barack Obama, first as a policy director for his Senate selection campaign in 2002 and later as his advisor in the 2008 Presidential campaign. It was this time working with the President himself that inspired Krishnamurthi to make a foray into politics.
“The President’s Senate victory in 2004 and his subsequent rise was clear proof that if you are hardworking and committed, nothing else matters,” said Krishnamurthi.
Not only has he won endorsements from the three biggest newspapers of Chicago, he is also winning the support of eminent individuals and associations.
Krishnamurthi was born in Delhi and left to New York as a toddler. He grew up in Peoria in Illinois where his father, an academic, taught industrial engineering for over four years.
With regard to his Tamil-speaking capabilities, Krishnamurthi remarked, “It has always been a one way affair. But I still understand Tamil extremely well,” adding that the reply is always in English.
Centring his campaign on reviving the American middle class, Krishnamurthi is of opinion that the future of middle-class America will revolve around small businesses.