THREE INDIAN AMERICAN WOMEN ON DEMOCRATS' PANEL
New York, January 29, 2008 (IANS)

Three Indian American women - Sunita Leeds, Kamala Harris and Smith Shah - have been elected to the standing committees of the 2008 Democratic National Convention that will meet in August to select the party's presidential nominee. The executive committee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced the selection last week for the Aug 25-28 meet to be held in Denver, Colorado.

Sunita Leeds, co-chair of the Washington DC-based education-oriented Enfranchisement Foundation, was named one of the three co-chairs of the rules committee. The committee proposes convention rules, adopts an agenda and makes recommendations for permanent convention officers. She also chairs the advisory board of the DNC's Indo-American Leadership Council.

San Francisco district attorney Kamala Harris and Smita Shah, founder of Chicago-based Spaan Technologies, were named to the platform committee, which drafts the party's national platform. Shah was a delegate to the Democratic national conventions in 1996 and 2004 and on the rules committee in the 2000 and 2004 conventions.

In 1996, there were just seven Indian American delegates at the Democratic convention. The number rose to about 20 in 2004. Many more are expected this August to be among the total 5,000 delegates.

Indian Americans traditionally support the Democratic party. The Clintons have a strong following in the community, so Hillary Clinton will be the favourite. But some like Shah and Harris support Barack Obama's candidacy.

The primary goal of the Democratic convention, that formally ends the primary season, is to nominate and confirm a candidate for president and vice-president, adopt a comprehensive party platform and unify the party. Democratic conventions have three standing committees - Credentials, Platform and Rules - with a few hundred members.