About Senator Dandekar

Swati Dandekar of Marion was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2008, after serving in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2002.  She serves the people of Senate District 18, which includes Marion, a small portion of Cedar Rapids and much of northern and western Linn County.

Senator Dandekar serves on the Commerce, Economic Growth, Transportation, Rebuild Iowa, and Ways & Means committees.  She is also a member of the Economic Development Budget Subcommittee.

Swati was the first person of Indian origin to win a seat to be elected to the Iowa Legislature.  Her legislative priorities are economic growth, renewable energy, affordable healthcare and educational excellence.

Prior to becoming a state legislator, Swati served two terms on the Linn-Mar Community School Board.  Iowa Governor Thomas Vilsack appointed her to the Vision Iowa Board, which provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational and entertainment facilities. 

Swati has held several community leadership positions and has received numerous awards for her work.  Recent recognitions include:

• “2000 J. C. Penny Education Golden Rule Award”
• “2002 Person of the Year” India Abroad
• “2003 Pillar of the Community” award from Waypoint
• “2003 Person of the Year” award, Asian Alliance of Iowa
• 2004 Flemming Institute Fellow
• Elliot School of International Affairs, Global Economic Conference
• “2008 Person of the Year,” Asian Week

Swati serves on the following boards:

• Iowa Math and Science Coalition
• Women in Public Policy (Iowa Charter)
• Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation
• Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted & Talented
• U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy

Swati received her bachelor’s degree in Biology & Chemistry from Nagpur University and a post-graduate diploma in dietetics from Bombay University in India.

Swati and her husband, Arvind, live in Marion, Iowa.  Arvind is President/CEO of Fastek International, a software development firm. They have two sons, Ajai and Govind, who are graduates of Stanford University.  Dr. Ajai Dandekar, his wife, Dr. Allison Cole, and their son, Evan, live in Seattle, Washington. Govind works for Google as a Financial Analyst.  Govind lives in Palo Alto, California.