Washington: In a first, a group of Indian Americans have come together to host a Hindu-American Summit for political engagement at the US Capitol Hill on June 14 to bring the Hindu community's issues to the attention of the lawmakers.

Speaking to ANI, the founder and chairman of American4Hindus, Romesh Japra said that it is the first time the Hindu-American leaders as well as the organisations are getting together during such a Summit.

"For the very first time, we are doing a Hindu-American Summit for political engagement. Our community has been involved in so many things --- cultural, social, economic, religious, spiritual, and all kinds of programs but in politics we were way, way behind," Romesh Japra said.

Great academics, scientists, and physicians have come from our country, but we haven't been able to achieve the same success in politics.

"So, the first time we are getting all the leaders, the Hindu-American leaders as well as the organisations.... the 20 different organisations getting together, 130 people and we have Kevin McCarthy who is the speaker of USA and many many other representatives, who are going to join us, inspire all these leaders to get engaged politically also, and get their children, the next generation involved in the political arena as well," Romesh Japra told ANI.

On PM Modi's visit to the US in June this year, he said, "We are excited that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the United States. His coming, and what he has been able to do, put India on the world map."

It gives us a lot more encouragement, that what at the world stage he has been able to do, and we as Hindu-Americans...Indian Americans right here, sitting in America, we should be able to do a lot more, he added.

The Hindu-American Summit, hosted by the recently formed Americans4Hindus Political Action Committee (PAC) in collaboration with over 20 other diaspora organisations, will be held at the US Capitol to bring the Hindu community's issues to the attention of lawmakers.

Around 130 Indian American leaders from Florida, New York, Boston, Texas, Chicago, and California are attending the event to represent 20 Hindu and Indian organisations.

Several other Congressional leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, are slated to speak at the conference alongside US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.