Press Release

Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) released the following statement on the U.S. Department of State announcing the launch of the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative. The program, championed by the late Representative John Lewis, brings together young leaders from India and the United States to advance social justice and civil rights by exploring the life and legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"As the longest serving Indian American Member of the United States Congress, I am very excited that the U.S. State Department has officially launched the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative, which was championed by the late great Congressman John Lewis" said Representative Bera. "Like Lewis, Gandhi and Dr. King were towering figures who committed their lives to the advancement of civil rights and social justice. By exploring the legacies of Gandhi and Dr. King, this exchange program will empower young leaders in India and the United States to advance these values forward to future generations. The Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative will also further strengthen the bonds between the people of India and the United States."

Representative Bera, who serves as Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, has long advocated for the exchange program, including co-sponsoring and voting for the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act introduced by the late Congressman John Lewis.