The new year started with a new role and newer responsibilities for Ketan Bhuptani. As the first-ever Indian American Deputy Mayor of Livingston, Bhuptani acknowledges that his appointment not only opens new doors for representation, but he also sees it as a moment to showcase the potential that immigrants like him bring to America.
Bhuptani, who was sworn in earlier this year, is a first-generation immigrant who arrived in the United States over three decades ago from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. He began his journey in the famed alleys of Wall Street, crunching data and overseeing complex strategic decisions.
Back then, while building a new life for himself and his young family, he may not have envisioned that decades later he would hold public office in the very city he made his first home.
READ: Ketan Bhuptani becomes first Indian American Deputy Mayor of Livingston (7 January, 2026)
When did Bhuptani decide on running for public office, and was there a moment or a trigger that navigated his journey from corporate house to community forums? Bhuptani says, “It is true that for a first-generation immigrant, there are factors such as finding a footing, making a home, and raising the family, all while acclimatizing themselves to a new country. Things that can come naturally for, let’s say, a second generation who is born and brought up here. But, for me, I guess it wasn’t a specific moment but more broadly a general principle of giving back that we grew up with. After a point, I wanted to see where it is that I can contribute and help in the community, and that led me to getting involved with township committees and being part of many civic initiatives such as the Zoning Board, the July 4th Celebration Committee, etc.”
New Jersey has seen a number of Indian Americans in public offices over the years. From Vin Gopal being the first Indian American state senator in 2017 to Ravi Bhalla being the first Sikh mayor of Hoboken, NJ, in 2018, to many from the diaspora representing local and county positions as well as holding positions on school boards. New Jersey has been consistently ranked as one of the most diverse states in the U.S., with over a million New Jerseyans coming from Asian backgrounds.
On what took Livingston so long to have their first Indian American deputy mayor, Bhuptani points towards the pattern that migration follows. He says, “NJ is one of the most densely populated states, and Indians have traditionally resided in pockets in NJ. One could say it began in NY, with, say, Queens seeing a large South Asian population. Here in NJ, it began with Jersey City, where a lot of the Indian population began migrating; the second pocket was Edison, which became an Indian hub, followed by, say, Clifton. But Livingston did not have a large Indian American concentration. It is a key town in the county with one of the biggest medical facilities—the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center—and while a lot of Indian American doctors work here, it did not see a large influx of desi population.”
Livingston, an affluent community in Essex County in NJ, has been Bhuptani’s home for more than two decades. He adds, “When we first landed here 23 years ago, our daughters were very young. They began their elementary school here, and at that time, my wife and I wanted to give them those Indian cultural values we grew up with. This drove us to organize the few Indian American families and create cultural connections for our kids. It was the residents of Livingston that first founded a group to connect, which later evolved into a nonprofit, Sanskriti of New Jersey, and now includes other nearby cities too.”
While this may have been the initial trigger to bring the community together, over the years, organically, the movement grew from cultural events to civic engagements. On the challenges that immigrants and people of color face, especially while creating a space for themselves in public office, Bhuptani says, “So, while I won’t say that it is easy. I do believe in one principle—I don’t believe people have prejudices inherently. If you give it a chance, people do try to understand each other. But of course, for an outsider the journey first begins with integrating themselves into the community. If you come across as someone who is not a natural fit in the given setting, then it might be a little difficult for the majority to believe that they can help them in navigating the community issues.”
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Bhuptani adds a wonderful example. He says, “I think I live by that history lesson we all read as kids back in India. Legend has it that when the Parsi community, or Zoroastrians from Persia, first arrived in India, the then-king of India showed them a vessel full of milk, indicating that there might not be any room for them in his already full kingdom. A wise Parsi gentleman then added a pinch of sugar to the milk to suggest that they will blend in and add sweetness to their society.”
He expresses his admiration for the role models he finds in the current political landscape. He says, “I have great admiration for the way Mikie Sherrill, the just-elected governor of NJ, conducts her politics. There is a lot to look up to and learn there.” Bhuptani also shares that back in 2017, long before he had any political ambitions or was even associated with township committees, he had invited Sherrill for a meet and greet with the community here in Livingston.
“It was the first time I did an organized event. There were about 80-90 people in my house, and it was a great success. I feel the community admired her approach, and it shows,” Bhuptani says. After that event, he began getting many requests for organizing big and small events, and in a way, that event may have led to his interest in pursuing a political career.
Bhuptani still continues to consult in the field of data management, but he has slowed down that a bit to make room for his new responsibilities as the deputy mayor. The other thing he remains passionate about is cricket. Ever since his early days as a Livingston resident, Bhuptani promoted cricket. He even got the township to allocate a cricket field. With many teams and tournaments, cricket is another thing that is catching up, not just in Livingston and beyond.