India's Ambassador to the United States, Nirupama Rao, made an official visit to City Hall yesterday to congratulate Charlottesville Mayor Satyendra Huja, a fellow native Indian, on his special election by Charlottesville City Council.
Huja was elected mayor on a 5-0 vote by Council members in January. He succeeded former mayor Dave Norris.
After Rao congratulated Huja for his new position, Huja presented her with a plaque of appreciation and the "key to the city" to symbolically welcome her to Charlottesville.
Rao said her visit to Charlottesville and Huja's election as mayor are testaments to the City's increasing diversity and spoke about the similarities between India and the United States.
"We encompass a great deal of diversity just like the United States does," Rao said of India.
Huja worked as the City's Director of Strategic Planning from 1998 to 2004 before being elected to Council in 2007. One of his major projects as the Director of Strategic Planning was the construction of the Downtown Mall.
Huja decided to run for the office of the mayor to find "an opportunity to serve my community and give back in some ways," he said.
Rao said she recognized the importance of Huja's position as the Director of Strategic Planning. Urban planning is vital to political office in the United States, as well as in India, which is a "thriving, vibrant [and] mature democracy with more than one billion people," she said.
Huja said one of his central goals while in office is the elimination of poverty in Charlottesville. Rao said she shares similar goals for her home in India, and emphasized early planning of India's urban centers as crucial to the success of this goal.
"We want to lift people out of poverty," Rao said. "Sixty to 65 percent of India's population will live in cities in the foreseeable future."
Huja also said he hopes to bridge the gap between the University and local Charlottesville citizens during his time in office. Each semester he teaches an Urban and Environmental Planning course at the University to facilitate unity between City residents and students.
Rao and Huja also discussed the possibility of affiliating Charlottesville with a sister city in India to foster a continuing relationship.
"We look forward to maintaining a meaningful relationship for years to come," Huja said.
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