Ro Khanna

Rohit “Ro” Khanna (born September 13, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for California’s 17th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he is recognized for his progressive stance on technology, economy, and labor issues.

Early Life and Education

Khanna was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Indian immigrant parents. His father, a chemical engineer, graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan, while his mother was a schoolteacher. Khanna’s maternal grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, was an Indian independence activist who worked alongside Lala Lajpat Rai. Khanna graduated from Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Bucks County, in 1994. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics with honors from the University of Chicago in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001.

Early Career

After law school, Khanna clerked for Judge Morris S. Arnold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He then practiced law at O’Melveny & Myers, specializing in intellectual property and trade secret issues. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Khanna as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he led international trade missions and worked to increase U.S. exports. He also served on the White House Business Council.

Congressional Career

Khanna first ran for Congress in 2014 but was unsuccessful. In 2016, he defeated eight-term incumbent Mike Honda to represent California’s 17th congressional district, located in Silicon Valley. He has been re-elected subsequently and is serving his fourth term as of 2023. Khanna serves on the House Armed Services Committee as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems. He is also a member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and the Oversight and Accountability Committee, where he previously chaired the Environmental Subcommittee.

Legislative Initiatives

A proponent of progressive policies, Khanna authored the Endless Frontier Act, which formed the basis for the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Biden. He has advocated for Medicare for All, affordable childcare, and free public college and vocational education. Khanna is known for refusing campaign contributions from political action committees (PACs) and lobbyists, emphasizing grassroots support.

Personal Life

Khanna is married to Ritu Ahuja Khanna, and they have two children. The family resides in Fremont, California. Khanna’s commitment to public service is influenced by his grandfather’s involvement in India’s independence movement and his parents’ pursuit of the American Dream.

Publications

Khanna is the author of “Entrepreneurial Nation: Why Manufacturing is Still Key to America’s Future” (2012) and “Dignity in a Digital Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us” (2022).

• California District 17 U.S. House of Representatives