Saikat Chakrabarti: The Indian-American Tech Executive Running for Nancy Pelosi's Congressional Seat

Saikat Chakrabarti is currently campaigning for a Congressional seat in San Francisco.

Following Zohran Mamdani's groundbreaking victory in the New York City mayoral election, attention has shifted to other Indian-American politicians seeking office across the United States. Among these candidates is Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running for Congress in San Francisco for a seat long held by Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Recently, Pelosi announced she would not seek re-election to Congress, sparking renewed interest in potential successors.

"I will not be seeking re-election to Congress. My message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power. We have made history and progress, and we must continue to lead the way," she stated in her announcement.

Thank you, San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/OP8ubeFzR6

— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) November 6, 2025

Who Is Saikat Chakrabarti?

Born to Indian immigrant parents in Fort Worth, Texas, Chakrabarti earned his Computer Science degree from Harvard University between 2003 and 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. After graduation, he relocated to San Francisco where he established his own company before joining Stripe as one of its earliest engineers.

In 2016, Chakrabarti transitioned from technology to politics, joining Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign and traveling extensively across the United States to build grassroots support for the Democratic candidate.

He later co-founded Justice Democrats, an organization dedicated to recruiting a new generation of Congressional leaders. Chakrabarti also served as chief of staff for Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and played a key role in drafting and launching the Green New Deal, described as a "framework for tackling our climate crisis and building a better world."

Currently, Chakrabarti leads New Consensus, a policy think tank focused on developing plans for government to achieve economic security and prosperity for all Americans. He remains active in various non-profit organizations including the SF-Marin Food Bank, Friends of Duboce Park, Housing Accelerator Fund, and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California. He resides in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood with his wife and daughter.