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Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been appointed as a Harris County Civil Court judge, making her the country’s first female Sikh judge. On Friday, Singh was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in Texas.
“It means a lot to me because I represent H-town (a nickname of Houston) the most, so for it to be us, I’m happy for it,” Singh said at the oath ceremony on Friday, according to a PTI report.
According to the report, Indian-American Judge Ravi Sandill, the state’s first South Asian judge, was present at the ceremony, which was held in a packed courtroom.
“It’s a really big moment for the Sikh community,” Sandill mentioned.
“When they see someone of color, someone a little different, they know that possibility is available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she’s an ambassador for all women of color,” he further stated.
According to reports, there are approximately estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the United States, with 20,000 Sikhs residing in the Houston area. So far, however, there has been no female Sikh judge in the country.
“It was a proud day for the Sikh Community, but also a proud day for all people of colour who see the Diversity of the City of Houston in the Diversity of the Court” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
Manpreet Monica Singh’s Biography
Manpreet Monica Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children. Singh’s father, AJ, immigrated to the United States as an architect in the early 1970s after receiving a green card under the Immigration Act of 1965.
Monica was brought up in Northwest Houston and attended Klein Forest High School, the University of Texas at Austin, and the South Texas College of Law before graduating. In 2010, she was named runner-up for Houston Young Lawyers Association Most Outstanding Attorney, and in 2017, she received the South Asian Bar Association Distinguished Member Award. Singh is involved in numerous civil rights organizations at the local, state, and national levels, in addition to practicing law for 20 years and having tried over 100 cases.She serves on the boards of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the Texas Lyceum, and the Sikh Coalition (also serving as Trustee). She is also a Chapter Representative for the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates, as well as a regular lecturer for the Texas Bar CLE Classes. Singh announced her candidacy in November 2021 via Twitter, writing, “Today I am excited and proud to announce my candidacy for Judge of the Harris County Civil County Court at Law No. 4. As a native Houstonian, it is my hope to represent my community that prizes diversity and servant leadership.”
“It is an honour to be able to represent our community. I hope I have the blessing of all Sikhs around the world,” Singh told the Hindustan Times.
