Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra Joge Chivukula (born October 8, 1950) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District.

In 2001, Chivukula became the first Indian-American elected to the New Jersey General Assembly and the fourth Indian-American in the United States to be elected to state office.^[1]

Chivukula has been the Assembly's Deputy Speaker since 2007. He serves in the Assembly on the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (as Chair) and the Appropriations Committee.^[2]

Assemblyman Chivukula previously served on the Franklin Township Council, joining in 1997, and serving as its Mayor of Franklin Township, New Jersey in 2000 and its Deputy Mayor in 1998.^[2] In Franklin Township, he has also served on the Franklin Township Community Foundation, Finance Oversight Committee, Traffic Management Committee, Fire Prevention Board, Emergency Life Support Delivery, Integrated Communications Committee, Emergency Management, Franklin Township Planning Board, Economic Development Committee, Community / Senior Center Steering Committee and the Bicentennial Celebration Committee. Chivukula has served on the Somerset County Affordable Housing Board of Trustees and the Middlesex County Cultural and Historic Commission. He was appointed by then Governor of New Jersey James Florio to be a Public Member of the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners, where he served from 1994 to 1997.

He was a Member of Delegation to the Democratic National Convention in 1996, 2000, and 2008, and was an alternate delegate in 2004. ^[3][4]

Chivukula was one of New Jersey's presidential electors casting the state's Electoral College votes after the 2004 presidential election.^[5] New Jersey's electors cast their ballots on December 13, 2004 in the State House Annex in Trenton, where all 15 votes were cast for the Democratic Party candidate John Kerry.

Chivukula received a B.E.E. from Guindy Engineering College (now part of Anna University) in Electrical Engineering and an M.E.E. degree from City College of New York in Electrical Engineering.^[2] He was born in Nellore, India, and currently resides in Somerset.^[6]

District 17

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 17th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:

• Senator Bob Smith, and
• Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan

References

1. ^ 2004 State Government Official Category, accessed April 21, 2007. "Upendra Chivukula is the first Asian Indian American elected to the New Jersey State Assembly and the fourth Indian American in the US to be elected to state office."
2. ^ ^{a b c} Assemblyman Chivukula's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 23, 2008.
3. ^ Biography of Upendra J. Chivukula, accessed April 21, 2007.
4. ^ http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/delegates04/njdelegates.html
5. ^ 2004 Presidential Election: Electoral College Members, accessed January 7, 2007.
6. ^ Assembly Member Upendra J. Chivukula, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 12, 2007.

External links

• Assemblyman Chivukula's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature
• Assemblyman Chivukula's Campaign website
• New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms - 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
• Assembly Member Upendra J. Chivukula, Project Vote Smart
• New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003
• High Tech Hall of Fame Biography
• Indian American Leadership Incubator Profile
• Chief Guest

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Name	Chivukula, Upendra
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Date of birth	October 8, 1950
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