Meet Hyderabadi on Biden's board of advisory for South Asians

Hyderabad: Meet the Hyderabadi who rose to prominence, and leverages good support from the South Asian diaspora in the USA. Part of the 'South Asians for Biden' campaign, this resident of Houston (Texas, USA) is ecstatic following the win of Joe Biden.

As a leader representing the South Asian community in mainstream American politics and dealing with issues and concerns of the community, Lutfi Hassan served as an advisor on Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senatorial, Congressional, Mayoral and Judicial campaigns in the United States over the past twenty years and has served as a national finance co-chair for the 'Obama for America campaign' in both 2008 and 2012.

An excited Hassan shared with The Hans India: "It feels immensely great after all your hard work contributes to the results, like the latest Presidential elections. Serving on the board of advisory for South Asians for Biden, we were able to mobilize a nationwide get out the vote (GOTV) effort among the greater South Asian community."

Accompanied Clinton, Obama to India

Lutfi was one of the few who he says, "had the honour of accompanying both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama on their official trips to India, during their term as Presidents. Both trips were fascinating."

"I was recognised by President Clinton during his visit to Hyderabad which made me feel that I achieved full circle to have come down back to my place of birth with the President of my adopted country. It was a huge accomplishment and a milestone I still cherish. Both the trips with the American presidents are the highlights of my political carrier to date," he thus shared with The Hans India.

Oversaw installation of Gandhi statue

Amongst the notable achievements in serving the South Asian cause, Lutfi recalls, is the installation of Gandhi Statue at (park of statues) during 2002. "Because of my association as a member of the board of the Gandhi Institute for non-violence (of Arun & Sunandha Gandhi), I was approached by the local community leaders to support the idea of placing the Gandhi Statue at (park of statues) Hermann Park in Houston, Texas.

I leveraged my relationship with my friend of then Mayor, Lee P Brown to fast track the approval to get the statue installed. Hermann Park houses many world iconic leaders, so it was befitting to have the Mahatma's statue proudly displayed," he recollects the occasion.

To further the cause, Houston was now selected to have an Eterenal Gandhi Museum which will soon be constructed in the heart of the city. "I am currently serving on their board of Advisory supporting this endeavor," he adds.

US citizen for four decades

Lutfi, an American Citizen for almost four decades, is Chairman & CEO of Apex Group of Companies and currently serves on advisory boards for several multinational companies in the US and Asia. "My uncle who came to Texas in the early 60s for higher education always inspired me. He sponsored my parents and we were fortunate to move the entire family to Texas. Today, we have near 100 members of the immediate & extended family members settled here only because of our learned uncle.

The family members enjoy the diversity in their professional lives from many of them to have pursued the medical field of being doctors, engineers, professors, researchers & successful businessmen," he recalls.

Received honour of US flag

Amongst other achievements he was selected to serve on the South Asian American Leadership Council (SAALC) based out of Washington, D.C. On January 9, 2003, a US flag was flown over the US Capitol in Washington DC by the order of the House Of Representatives (United States Congress) to honour Lutfi Hassan for his decades of his community service. It was later presented to him in a ceremony with the certificate of archives.