Obama endorses Aftab Karma of Indo-Tibetan descent for US Congress/ENG

2018. augusztus 3./Phayul.com/TibetPress

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By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 3: The aspiring politician of Indo-Tibetan descent, Aftab Karma Singh Pureval, has got a major backing ahead of his running for the US Congressional seat with former US President Barack Obama endorsing Aftab ahead of the Congressional polls.

Pureval, 35, is among the 81 candidates from the Democratic party endorsed by the former US President. "I'm proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates – leaders as diverse, patriotic and big-hearted as the America they're running to represent," said Obama on Wednesday.

The young candidate is seeking to enter the House of Representatives from the first Congressional District of Ohio, against 11-term incumbent Republican Congressman Steve Chabot.

A delighted Pureval tweeted, "President Obama inspired me to get involved in public service. It is surreal and incredible to have his endorsement. As he told us, we are the ones who have been waiting for. Change starts with us. And in 100 days, we're going to make it happen here.”

Aftab was born on Sept. 9, 1982 in Xenia, Ohio to a Tibetan mother and Indian father. “Karma is my Tibetan name and Singh is my given Punjabi Indian name,” Pureval earlier told The Lantern adding that his names reflect his mother and father’s heritage, respectively.

The young politician recalls that his mixed ancestry had made it difficult for him to fit in earlier on but has since learned to embrace his identity. He earlier said, “I look weird, I have this, kind of amorphous ethnicity. And when you don’t look like anybody or when you look alternatively look like everybody, where do you fit in this world? ”

Karma earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio State University in 2005 and later studied law at University of Cincinnati college of law. He was elected to the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2016.