The New Politics Podcast Episode 15: Sri Kulkarni

Meet Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Foreign Service Officer who ran twice for Congress in Texas’s 22nd district in the 2018 and 2020 election cycles. Sri has an amazing background: his father was an immigrant from India, and his mother is a descendent of Sam Houston, the first individual to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate back in 1846 and the man for whom the city of Houston in named.  Sri speaks six languages, has served as a Foreign Service Officer in Iraq, Israel, Russia, Taiwan, and Jamaica, and ran Congressional campaigns that communicated with voters in more than 20 languages.  

Sri's mix of deep southern roots, South Asian Heritage, and fierce commitment to serve the nation make him a unique and inspiring servant leader.  In this discussion, we talk about his challenging childhood, what he learned by representing America in some of the toughest spots around the globe, and why he chose to enter the arena after more than a decade of international service.  He also talks about the challenges and opportunities of entering the arena as an Asian American at this critical moment for the nation.

Sri has a fascinating story and a deep passion for service, and we're excited to lift up his voice and experience on this episode of the podcast!