[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 4 (Friday, January 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E32]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE DEATH OF LAHORI RAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 15, 2010

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the one year 
passing of Lahori Ram. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing 
the outstanding achievements of Lahori during his lifetime.
  Lahori Ram served with a strong vision and dedication to the local 
community and California. From the day he emigrated from India to this 
great nation in 1972, Lahori embraced the notion that in America, hard 
work and sacrifice has limitless possibilities. He lived his American 
Dream, and his lasting legacy of philanthropy, community leadership, 
and political activism will be with us for generations to come.
  As a 28-year-old graduate student, Lahori Ram worked in farm fields 
in Fresno for 75 cents an hour to help pay for a master's degree in 
Foreign Affairs from Yuba College. In 1976, he started a career with 
the United States Postal Service, where he worked an average of 55 to 
60 hours per week, including most holidays, before retiring 18 years 
later in 1994.
  Lahori Ram's hard work allowed him to buy his first family home in 
San Bruno in 1979, and with uncanny investment ability he sold that 
home in 1984, and eventually came to own over 100 apartment units in 
the bay area. With his success, after retirement, Lahori dedicated 
himself to philanthropy and to giving back to his community.
  In 1981 Lahori Ram helped establish the Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha 
Temple in Pittsburg, generously donated to charity, assisted many 
causes in India, and was a well-known figure in the Sikh and Hindu 
religious communities. He was appointed and served on the California 
Technology, Trade, and Commerce Committee; the California 
Transportation Commission; and the California Commission for Economic 
Development.
  Madam Speaker, I am truly honored in joining many Californian's to 
pay tribute to my friend and dedicated public servant, Lahori Ram.

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