By Ruby Thomas Wadhwa
HOUSTON: A broad swath of the Indian American community came together on Monday evening, October 12, in support of current Precinct 4 County Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy’s bid to become the next Fort Bend County Judge.
Organizers had overlooked that FBISD’s fall break was in full swing, so the turnout was less than organizers expected, but even then, the evening drew a passionate crowd of Indian-American who showed their support for McCoy.
The event was held at the Hyatt Place hotel in Sugar Land and was organized by Pankaj Rana, Dr. Sushovan Guha and Shailendra Sinhasane. Ruby Thomas Wadhwa emceed the program and moderated the evening’s Q&A session. The registration and event check-in were managed seamlessly by the McCoy Campaign Team headed by Sheetal Mhatre, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner.
Shailendra Sinhasane, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and healthcare pioneer (co-Founder and CEO of Rainbow Health), made opening remarks and introduced McCoy to the guests.
Commissioner McCoy shared his journey from humble beginnings in Louisiana to Sugar Land, which opened his eyes to the diversity of cultures and people. He spoke of his organizing work prior to becoming Commissioner and his comprehensive vision for the future of Fort Bend County. Deeply attuned to Indian culture and traditions, McCoy transitioned into a 15-minute fireside chat where he felt right at home, sipping on his cup of favorite masala chai while connecting with the audience.
During the Q&A session where Ruby read questions from the audience, McCoy spoke directly to core issues impacting the Indian-American community and addressed topics close to their heart, pledging unwavering commitment to ensuring the county would actively protect local cultural festivals and preserve the security and sanctity of all places of worship. He also spoke about his vision for localized mass transport, like Waymo, and maintaining good services within the County.
A unique “Fashion Show and Diversity Parade” was organized and presented by Priyanka Sahai, founder of the brand-building and creative storytelling company SARAS. The evening’s vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Sushovan Guha, a prominent gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and Chief Medical Officer at the Houston Regional Gastroenterology Institute.
The main emphasis of the event was a live fundraiser featuring a real-time digital thermometer tracking donor generosity and it netted over $26,700 for the McCoy campaign. The event concluded with a group photo with Commissioner McCoy with the guests and supporters.
Pro-bono photography was provided by Dr. Thiru Arumugam with Golden Ray Photography and the buffet appetizers and dinner were donated by Kathmandu Curry & Bar on Hillcroft, whose co-owner Vishnu Nepal was on hand too.
Recent polls indicate a strong lead for McCoy’s campaign, as Ruby mentioned early one. She urged everyone to focus on the start of Early Voting on Monday, October 19through BAPS will proudly serve as a polling location on: Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, 2026.
