The South Asian American Coalition has officially announced Dharmeshkumar Patel as its new Executive Director, a strategic appointment made by Sridhar Chillara, who currently serves as the Chairman of the Coalition for Jack 2025—the gubernatorial campaign for New Jersey candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
Patel, a well-known figure in New Jersey’s community circles, brings a wealth of grassroots organizing experience to the table. His primary role will involve energizing voter mobilization and expanding community outreach, particularly among South Asian voters across the state. He is recognized for his close ties to local organizations and his longstanding commitment to civic engagement.
The announcement follows a recent high-profile gathering in Edison, New Jersey, where Jack Ciattarelli officially introduced Sridhar Chillara as Chairman of the South Asian American Coalition. The event attracted a wide range of community leaders and underscored the importance of South Asian American support in the 2025 gubernatorial race.
In his new role, Mr. Chillara plans to build a multi-layered coalition structure that reflects the diversity of the South Asian diaspora. This includes establishing nationality-specific coalitions such as the Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Sri Lankan American Coalitions.
To ensure meaningful outreach within the Indian American community, language-based groups will be formed under the Indian American Coalition umbrella, including:
- Indian Telugu Coalition
- Indian Gujarati Coalition
- Indian Tamil Coalition
- Indian Punjabi Coalition
- Indian Hindi Coalition
Mr. Chillara will also oversee the creation of an executive leadership team, advisory board, and multiple functional committees, each with a specific area of focus:
- Digital media and online engagement
- Temple and cultural festival involvement
- Collaboration with regional community organizations
- Youth and women-centric initiatives
- Voter registration and civic education drives
- Localized fundraising campaigns
This strategic organizational effort is expected to significantly enhance grassroots engagement and turnout among South Asian American voters as the Jack 2025 campaign builds momentum across New Jersey.
