What is the Samosa Caucus in the US House, which PM Modi referred to

“There is one behind me, who has made history!” Modi said, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris. He then said: “I am told that the Samosa Caucus is now the flavour of the House. I hope it grows and brings the full diversity of Indian cuisine here.”

The term Samosa Caucus has been in use since at least 2018, and it is said to have been coined by Raja Krishnamoorthy, member of the US House of Representatives from Illinois’s 8th District. It seeks to draw, as a third edit in The Indian Express that year pointed out, that “we ourselves identify strongly with the samosa”, and “even the Internet’s repository of Indian slang is called Samosapedia”.

There are, at present, five US Representatives with Indian roots. A sixth, Vice President Harris, is the leader of the Senate. All are Democrats.

The five Representatives are: Shri Shamal Thanedar (68) from Michigan’s 13th District; Dr Ami Bera (58), representing the 6th District of California; Ro Khanna (46), representing the 17th District of California; Pramila Jayapal, representing Washington’s 7th District; and Krishnamoorthy himself.

Americans of Indian origin hold a range of important positions in the Biden Administration, and represent a powerful voice in American policymaking.