Pulkit Desai
Pulkit Desai, a Marine Corps veteran and cybersecurity professional, was sworn in Jan. 3 as the first Indian American mayor of Parsippany, New Jersey.
Desai, 60, won the November election by 80 votes, defeating three-term Republican incumbent James Barberio.
A first-time candidate, Desai campaigned on local issues including property taxes, housing and warehouse development, and developer incentives in the township of about 56,000 residents. He previously served six years in the Marine Corps, including deployments during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and spent nearly three decades in cybersecurity for a Fortune 500 company.
Desai closed his inaugural remarks with optimism, saying “Parsippany’s best days are still ahead.”