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Leading with heart: How Pia Dandiya is reimagining public service
Born to Indian immigrants in the very district she now hopes to represent, Pia Dandiya, the first-generation American, uses empathy, education, and action as anchors of a campaign that puts people at the forefront. Read on!
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Manvi Pant - Sun, 24, Aug 2025
- 02:59 EDT
- 111
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Pia Dandiya. / Courtesy Photo
In times of rising conflict and polarized opinions, Pia Dandiya, a congressional candidate, has dared to change the narrative of public service. The former White House Fellow, who she served under the White House Domestic Policy Council and at the U.S. Department of Education, offers a political ideology entrenched in compassion, economic opportunity, and dignity for all. Her take on politics stems from a life shaped by dual identities. Dandiya’s parents immigrated from Jaipur, India, to Jupiter, Florida in 1980s. According to her, they truly lived an American dream. After moving to the United States, her father continued his medical practice. At the same time, her mother, then 40, founded a Montessori school in Jupiter, which she initially established for Dandiya.
Despite all the success they amassed, she was raised in a culturally inclined environment strongly connected to her Indian heritage. Between Bollywood night jams, Dal Bati, and intense political discussions, Dandiya grew up to be a sensitive yet highly empowered human being. “Very early on, my parents would send me on a solo trip to India to spend time with my cousins. These trips were life-changing and played a pivotal role in shaping my identity. They helped me understand how different democracies function and gave me a sense of global inequality. Every visit would be an eye-opener and made me return home with a lot of gratitude for being an American of Indian origin.”
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