Ritesh Tandon

Ritesh Tandon came to the United States from India at twenty eight and met his future wife, fellow computer engineer Zurica Dhar, at Santa Clara University.¹ They married in 2001, made the Bay Area home and have two children.¹ His grandfather had participated in India's independence movement.¹

Tandon earned a master's degree in computer engineering and an MBA from Santa Clara.² He worked on communications products at Cisco, moving from engineering into technical marketing, and later managed strategic alliances for audio equipment company Jabra.¹ He subsequently founded Kricel Corporation and serves as its CEO.¹

His nonprofit work includes leading UPMA, which supports children's education and childcare, and past service on the Sankara Eye Foundation's executive committee.¹ He has also raised money for the foundation's hospitals and served on the Smart Village Movement board.¹

Tandon proposes faster housing approvals, lower taxes, less wasteful spending and stronger science and career education.² He pledges that his family would not trade individual stocks while he serves, and supports a congressional trading ban.² He also favors secure borders and a faster process for lawful immigration.¹ He faces Democratic incumbent Ro Khanna in November.²