Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra Chivukula (born October 8, 1950) is an Indian-American Democratic politician currently serving on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, who previously represented New Jersey's 17th legislative district in the General Assembly from 2002 to 2014. He was the first Indian American elected to the New Jersey legislature and the fourth Indian American elected to state office anywhere in the United States. During his time in office, he was regarded as a progressive. After his defeat, he was appointed to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities by Chris Christie and was sworn in on September 30, 2014.

Early life Upendra Chivukula was born on October 8, 1950 in Nellore, India.

In 1972, Chivukula received a bachelor of electrical engineering degree from College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai (now part of Anna University). He received a master of engineering degree from City College of New York in 1976.

Political career Before running for public office, Chivukula was appointed by Governor of New Jersey James Florio to the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners. He served on that body as a public member from 1994 to 1997.

Franklin Township In 1997, Chivukula was elected to represent the Fifth Ward on the Franklin Township Council. He was re-elected to a second term in 2001.

In 1998, he served as deputy mayor of the township. He served as mayor in 2000.

He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2012 and was an alternate delegate in 2004.

Chivukula was one of New Jersey's presidential electors casting the state's Electoral College votes after the 2004 presidential election; 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 Democratic Party candidate John Kerry.

2012 and 2014 congressional campaigns In 2012, Chivukula ran for United States House of Representatives against Republican incumbent Leonard Lance in New Jersey's 7th congressional district. He was defeated in the heavily Republican district by a vote of 175,662 to 123,057.

In 2014, Chivukula ran for the House again, standing for the open seat created by Rush Holt Jr.'s retirement. He finished second behind assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and state senator Linda R. Greenstein.

Board of Public Utilities On September 18, 2014, Chivukula was nominated by Governor Chris Christie to a seat on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, to replace retiring commissioner Jeanne Fox.

Election history

Personal life , he was a Hindu and lived in Somerset, New Jersey. He was married to Lucrecia Dayci, and they had two children.