New Delhi: Lutfi Hassan, whose name may be known to few but whose contributions in the Joe Biden’s victory is enormous, has been politically active for over three decades promoting immigrants’ causes in the United States.
A Democrat stalwart, Hassan played key role in galvanizing Asian Americans across America by serving on the board of SAB (South Asians for Biden), by raising funds, mobilizing the community on GOTV (get out the vote) efforts for presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Hassan, a resident of Houston, Texas for the past 40 years originally hails from Hyderabad and has been associated with Democratic Party for the past 28 years.
As a politically savvy visionary Hassan has been instrumental in bringing then Democratic candidate Sen. Kamala Harris to Houston last year during the Democratic Primaries to meet the South Asian community.
From then on, he tirelessly campaigned behind the scene for Biden-Harris ticket which eventually yielded historic victory with a female Vice President, a person of color.
Hassan was appointed by President Bill Clinton on the board of Central Asian American Enterprize Fund (CAAEF) In year 2000 and honorably served under President Bush.
Hassan has served on many Gubernatorial, Senatorial, Congressional & Mayoral Campaign Finance Committees represented the South Asian community. Hassan has many a times raised the community’s issues & concerns with the government. Over the years he has been a recipient of various community service awards.
In the year 2003, a US flag was flown over the Capitol in Washington by the order of House Of Representatives to honor him for a decade of his community service. He is the first South Asian to serve on the prestigious board of the Urban League (oldest civil rights organization).
Hassan has always participated in assisting the Indian mission in the US with various Congressional bills and amendments that matter to India. The most recent two important bills in the US Congress & US Senate of being the Indian Civil Nuclear Deal and the US Consulate selection of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. He was also instrumental in motivating President Clinton to choose Hyderabad over Bangalore to visit during his historic visit in March 2000 to India. Hassan was a part of the delegation.
For the past 28 years, as an Indian born American, Hassan has always assisted the Indian community in accomplishing significant milestones. He had the pleasure of serving on the board of the Memphis Tennessee based Gandhi Institute for Non Violence founded by Arun Gandhi, the Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1999-2002. Among the landmark achievements is the installation of the Gandhi Statue at the Hermann Park.
Hassan has proved his mettle in the past when he served as a national finance co-chair for former president Barak Obama campaigns in 2008 and then in 2012. Hassan was a part of the President Obama’s first official trip to India.
Over the years, he has been an NAB (National Advisory Board) member of Democratic National Committee.
Hassan is the founder and promoter of Apex Group of Companies and currently serves on the boards of advisory of several multinational companies in the U.S. and Asia.