Our Team

Akkina Murthy

Chair

As an active and dedicated member of the Democratic Party, I have been deeply involved in grassroots activities across numerous election cycles. I currently serve as the Secretary for the Wake County Democratic Party and am a founding member of Desi Democrats. Our organization is committed to uniting the Indian American community and electing leaders who align with our values at all levels of government.

Beyond my political endeavors, I have made significant contributions to our community through my work with the Triangle Area Telugu Association (TATA), a local non-profit organization focused on promoting culture, language, and youth engagement. I have served as both Secretary and President of TATA, and I founded the TATA Leadership Academy to help young people develop essential leadership skills.

Vishal Ghadia

Vice Chair

Vishal is an Indian American residing in Cary, Wake County, North Carolina (NC). He has been actively involved in the Democratic Party for many years, participating in grassroots activities during various election cycles.

Vishal serves as the Wake County Democratic Party Precinct Treasurer in Cary, NC for Precinct 20-04. He is an Inaugural Member of the North Carolina Democratic Party AAPI Caucus Advisory Commission.

Vishal is a founding member of Desi Democrats, a grassroots organization that aims to unite, empower, and engage the Indian American community in North Carolina.

Vishal also volunteers at BAPS Raleigh, a national faith-based organization that promotes culture, language, and youth engagement.

Ashit Patel

Secretary

Ashit brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Desi Democrats. An active member of the local Democratic Party, Ashit is passionate about advocating for a moderate Democratic-leaning agenda, which includes principles of equality, justice, freedom, and progress within the Indian American community. With a background in service to the nation, he served in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer, demonstrating a strong commitment to the values of duty and honor.

In his professional life, Ashit works at one of the Big Four global firms, where he is an integral part of the APIN (Asian Pacific Islander Network) and Living Green Network resource groups at his workplace, contributing to initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and sustainability within the organization and beyond.

Beyond his professional and political engagements, Ashit is committed to community service. He volunteers at BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha), a faith-based organization, where he dedicates time to various community and cultural activities.

With a strong commitment to the values of equality, justice, freedom, and dignity, Ashit is excited to help lead Desi Democrats and amplify the voices of the Indian American community in North Carolina.

Krishna Challagolla

Treasurer

Krishna K Challagolla is a CPA by profession and a dedicated small business owner. He has served as the audit committee chair for TANA, a prominent national non-profit organization, and held roles as President and Treasurer for TATA, a local non-profit organization. Kumar’s commitment to public service is evident through his work as a precinct vice chair for the Democratic Party and as the Treasurer for Dr. Narendra Singh’s campaign.

Currently, he is serving as a Board of Director at SV Temple. Deeply passionate about current affairs and the Democratic Party, Krishna brings a wealth of experience and dedication to every role he undertakes.