Councilwoman Shruti Rana of Bloomington City will resign on February 7

Bloomington, Indiana – Shruti Rana, a council member for Bloomington City’s District 5, was sworn in on January 1 after being voted by her peers in November. She will leave the council on February 7.

Rana announced on Saturday that she will be leaving her role as a municipal council member to move her family to Missouri in an email to her fellow council members. In September 2023, Rana agreed to take a job at the University of Missouri as an assistant vice chancellor for inclusive excellence and strategic initiatives as well as a professor of law. Rana was the senior assistant dean for curricular and undergraduate affairs at the Hamilton Lugar School before taking these roles and becoming a member of the council.

“While we are excited about these new opportunities, it is with deep sadness that I am stepping down from serving my Bloomington constituents in my City Council role,” Rana said in the email. “I am thankful for the opportunity I have had to represent our community, and deeply honored by the support and guidance I have received from our community and state and local leaders.”

David Gamage, the spouse of Rana, has also agreed to take a distinguished professorship in tax law and policy at the University of Missouri. He sent out an email on Saturday announcing his resignation from IU.

According to Rana, she was able to continue living in Bloomington because of her remote-hybrid employment at the University of Missouri. She did, however, add that after Gamage sealed the deal with the University of Missouri on Friday, her family finally decided to go.

“I’m so thankful for (my constituents’) support,” Rana said. “I have been so privileged to serve and meet them.”

Rana was elected as Bloomington City Council’s first woman of color. On January 10, Rana attended her first council meeting and was elected to chair the Jack Hopkins Social Services Standing Committee. Rana was also appointed by the council to represent them on the council’s Sidewalk Standing Committee, Council Interview Committee B, and Special Committee on Council Process in addition to the Bloomington-Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Before Rana’s resignation takes effect, there are three more meetings of the city council scheduled for January 17, January 24, and February 7. Rana declared that she would be attending the next meetings. She added that she wanted to allow the council and the Monroe County Democratic Party ample time to identify a replacement for her.

Rana’s resignation email included the email address of Monroe County Clerk Nicole Browne, whose office is required by Indiana legislation for receiving resignations.

To replace the vacancy, the Monroe County Democratic Party may also hold a caucus, according to Indiana law. The Democratic Party precinct leaders in Monroe County will have to choose a new representative to take the seat in District 5. On February 7, Rana will also resign from her role as vice chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party.