Born and raised in Houston, Singh lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children
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Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris county judge, becoming the first female Sikh judge in the US.
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Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children.
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She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in Texas on Friday.
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Singh’s father immigrated to the US in the early 1970s.
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A trial lawyer for 20 years, she has been involved in numerous civil rights organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
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“It means a lot to me because I represent H-town (a nickname of Houston) the most, so for it to be us, I’m happy for it,” she said at the oath ceremony.
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Indian-American Judge Ravi Sandill, the state’s first South Asian judge, presided over the ceremony, which took place in a packed courtroom.
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“It’s a really big moment for the Sikh community,” Sandill said.
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“When they see someone of colour, someone a little different, they know that possibility is available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she’s an ambassador for all women of colour,” he said.
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There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the US, with 20,000 Sikhs living in the Houston area.
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said: “It was a proud day for the Sikh Community, but also a proud day for all people of Colour who see the Diversity of the City of Houston in the Diversity of the Court”.
Source: The Tribune
