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This is a nonpartisan documentary film about a Sikh American who ran for Congress and won, 68 years ago.

This surprisingly overlooked story will raise awareness about the history, seva, and leadership of Sikh Americans. 

THE STORY:

In 1956, Dalip Singh Saund (D) – a Sikh American farmer, local judge, and recently naturalized citizen – ran for Congress and defeated Jackie Cochran Odlum (R) – a celebrity aviator, successful businesswoman, and WWII leader – to become our first Sikh and first ever Asian American congressman in US history.

This political competition between Saund and Cochran to represent California’s 29th district prompted nationwide debates about his ethnicity and her gender. Voters asked “can a foreign born man represent Americans?” and “should a woman serve as congressperson?”

We will see that in the campaign of 1956, Senator John F. Kennedy endorsed Saund. As the head of the Democratic National Committee, he said that “the election of Judge D. S. Saund will promote international goodwill and greatly advance the cause of world peace.” When Jackie Cochran questioned Saund’s loyalty to America as a naturalized citizen, Saund challenged voters to judge him fairly. Saund and his family (wife Marian and three grown kids) registered 6,500 new voters – many from Mexican and Black families who connected to his “second-class citizen” identity. Despite all predictions, and with an 80% voter turnout, Saund won a narrow 3,300 vote victory. In epilogue, we will see that Saund served three terms as the first U.S. Congressman of Sikh descent and we will learn of his historic accomplishments in Congress as well as his State Department sponsored trip to Asia in 1957, when he returned home to Chhajjal Waddi, Pubjab after an absence of 37 years. 

(Congressman Saund at the Golden Temple in October 1957)

This documentary is based on two years of original research by director Mridu Chandra. With a 1-year research fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Mridu collected over 2000 newspaper articles from CA and across the country to unearth the details of the story.  

DALIP SINGH SAUND’s BACKSTORY & SIKH AMERICAN HISTORY:

The film will tell Saund’s impressive life story. Dalip Singh Saund came from Chhajjal Waddi, Punjab to America in 1920 to study at UC Berkeley. He obtained a PhD in math. The Stockton Gurdwara (founded in 1912) sponsored his room & board and began a lifelong relationship with Saund. The Stockton Sikh leadership encouraged Saund to write two books and to speak out on behalf of Indian independence (Home Rule). Saund would later serve as Secretary of the Stockton Gurdwara, even when he moved to Southern California.

(Congressman Saund with members of the Stockton Gurdwara circa 1959)

There was no pathway to citizenship for Asian Americans at the time when Saund graduated, and he was unable to obtain a teaching job. He joined other Sikh farmers living on the West coast and became a farmer. He later started his own farm in Westmorland, CA. After the laws changed in 1946, Saund became a U.S. citizen and was soon after elected to a judgeship. He was the first Sikh American (and first Indian American) ever in history to run for elected office. And in 1956 he ran for Congress against a WWII leader and successful business woman – and WON!

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

I am an independent media and film professional based in NY. In the past 20 years, I have produced 12 feature documentary films about civil rights, peace, and justice. You can see my films on PBS, HBO, Disney+, and Netflix.

I was born in New Delhi. My grandparents and parents migrated from Lahore to Delhi during the Partition of India. My parents immigrated to America in 1972 and I was raised in Virginia. I never learnt about Dalip Singh Saund when I was in school, and I am making this film because my discovery of this history had a profound effect on my sense of belonging in this country. I believe this story will speak to a broad cross-section of immigrants of all ages and ethnicities who have struggled to see themselves in the story of America.

WHY I AM MAKING THIS FILM:

I believe this story should be taught in schools and colleges at all levels and I believe this story should be distributed widely in the US and internationally. 

This important story will inform broad audiences that the history of America includes the history of Sikh migration to the U.S., and that Sikh Americans have been elected to serve in the highest positions in the U.S. government. American history by necessity includes Sikh American history.

In all of my work, I have championed underrepresented stories and have brought them into the mainstream media with national and international distribution of my work.

HOW YOU CAN HELP / TIMELINESS:

This is an independent film, and that means no broadcaster or news agency has commissioned this story or funded it. Historical documentaries are expensive due to the costs of licensing copyrighted photographs and footage. This film will also use costly 2D animation to create scenes where we will see Saund running for Congress based on what I have read in the newspapers from the era.

Your funds at this time will allow me to begin the production stage of the film after a two year R&D stage. The production stage is the most expensive stage of the process where a small team of talented professionals will work with me to film interviews with scholars and experts, to edit the film, to create animation for the film, and to license the copyrighted materials required to release the film. Your funds will pay for editors, animators, producers, researchers, cinematographers, and more.

I am on a pathway to achieve funding from grants to make this film. Unfortunately, this path will take 3-5 years to complete the film. If I can raise funds to make the film NOW, then we have a chance to release the film in 2026 and to participate in the nationwide conversation about American history that we will have as we celebrate America’s 250th Birthday – the U.S. Semiquincentennial. (https://america250.org/)

Dalip Singh Saund’s story deserves to be part of this conversation.

WHY YOU CAN TRUST ME:

Most of my films have followed a similar path where we first raise funds from grants and individuals, and later achieve widespread distribution in mainstream media entities like PBS, Netflix, Hulu, and more. While there is no guarantee – I have achieved this success on 10 previous documentaries which were similarly independent. (www.mriduchandra.com/documentary)

For Saund vs Cochran, I have already achieved a stamp of approval and initial R&D funding from prestigious organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, Ford Foundation, California Humanities, the Center for Asian American Media, and the Dirksen Congressional Center, and the Independent Television Service, among others.

This shows that there is interest in the story I am telling. These organizations have oversight of my work and require regular check-ins.

After I achieve the rough cut, I will ask each of these organizations for additional production funding to complete the film and to help me distribute it.

Thank you very much for your consideration and support!

Another way to support–  Please sign up for my newsletter here– https://saundvscochran.com/

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