Ritu Jha-
“She was not only a leader for our state, but for our nation and our world.”
That was Vice President Kamala Harris, one of many Indian Americans who paid homage to the late Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Feinstein, 90, died at her home in Washington, D.C., Thursday night.
Harris described Feinstein in glowing terms: “From her work to help pass the assault weapons ban in 1994, to her work to safeguard California’s public lands, and her longstanding advocacy for reproductive rights, marriage equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, Senator Feinstein helped build a better America.”
Feinstein was the first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco, the first woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the longest-tenured woman to serve in the United States Senate.
Ashok Bhatt, president of the Silicon Valley chapter of GOPIO, who is also a former water commissioner of California, recalled helping Feinstein when she was the mayor of San Francisco.
It was 1984 when he first interacted with her, after which he was often invited by her and her late husband Richard Blum to events.
“There were housing crises for HIV and AIDS patients then. She was desperate to find housing for these patients,” Bhatt said. “No one was coming forward given the concern (about the) disease… Everybody was worried and assumed then that even if you touch you get (AIDS).” Bhatt, who was a manager at a motel run by an Indian on Lombard Street then, said the motel agreed to house the homeless.
“She was so excited to hear and invited us to her office especially to work on this program,” Bhatt said, adding, “When she was the San Francisco mayor this was her priority program. She was a conservative senator: very defined, intelligent, and sharp.”
Bhatt said Indian American motel owners supported Feinstein when she sought higher office. Recalling the time lost the governor’s race in 1990, he said, “We thought she won. We were almost about to hold the celebration… In 1992, she became a US senator and never lost a single election {after that}.”
Ajay Bhutoria, deputy finance chair of the Democratic National Committee, told indica that he had met Feinstein at various DNC events during the Biden campaign in 2020, as well as during the Hillary and Obama campaigns.
“She was always gracious and approachable,” he said. “Senator Feinstein expressed a genuine interest in the Indian American community and strengthening the US-India partnership. She understood the importance of this relationship and was supportive of initiatives that brought our communities and nations closer together.”
Bhutoria described Feinstein “as a dedicated public servant with a deep commitment to her constituents.” He added, “She leaves behind a legacy of leadership and bipartisanship that will be remembered for years to come.”
