Houston: Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris County judge, becoming the first female Sikh judge in the US. Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children. He was sworn in on Friday as a Harris County Civil Court judge at Law No. 4 in Texas. Singh’s father had migrated to the US in the early 1970s.
A trial attorney for over 20 years, she has been involved in several civil rights organizations at the local, state and national levels.
“It means a lot to me because I represent H-Town (a nickname for Houston) the most, so we’re just happy for that,” she said at the swearing-in ceremony.
Hearty congratulations to Manpreet Monika Singh on being appointed as the first female Sikh judge of Harris County Civil County Court, Law No. 4 in the US. It is a proud moment for the entire Sikh community. I convey my best wishes for his new role and responsibility. @mpreet6 pic.twitter.com/GUe930HJ7D– Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) January 8, 2023
Indian-American Judge Ravi Sandil, the state’s first South Asian judge, presided over the ceremony, which took place to a packed courtroom.
“This is a really big moment for the Sikh community,” Sandil said.
She said, “When they see a person of color, they know there is opportunity available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she is an ambassador for women of all colors.”
There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the US, of whom 20,000 live in the Houston area.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said: “It was a proud day for the Sikh community, but also a proud day for all people of color, who see the diversity of the city of Houston in Court’s diversity.”