Richard Verma is currently Chief Legal Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard.
Washington:
Indian-American lawyer diplomat Richard Verma has been nominated by US President Joe Biden to a top diplomatic post in the State Department.
Mr. Verma, 54, who served as the former US Ambassador to India from January 16, 2015 to January 20, 2017, is currently the Chief Legal Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard.
If confirmed by the US Senate, he will serve as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, thus making him the highest-ranking Indian American in the State Department.
Biden announced Mr Verma’s nomination on Friday.
During the Obama Administration, Mr. Verma also served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.
Earlier in his career, he was the National Security Advisor to United States Senator Harry Reid while he was a Democratic Whip, Minority Leader and then Majority Leader of the United States Senate.
He has served as Vice Chairman of The Asia Group, Partner and Senior Counsel at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, and Senior Counsel at Albright Stonebridge Group. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served on active duty as a Judge Advocate.
“Ambassador Verma is uniquely qualified to be the State Department’s number two official. His breadth and depth of experience and vision make him a powerful leader in defending and promoting American interests and values around the world,” Raunak D. Desai , principal counsel at Paul Hastings LLP and prominent Indian businessman and expert at the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University, said on the White House announcement.
“President Biden has found the ideal person to serve as Deputy Secretary of State. Rich’s longstanding track record of dedicated public service, principled leadership on global issues, and steadfast belief in the United States of America make him the ideal nominee.” The President could. I have not named a better candidate,” Desai said.
Mr. Verma holds a BS from Lehigh University, JD cum Laude from American University, LLM. with distinction at the Georgetown University Law Center, and a Ph.D. at Georgetown University.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal from the State Department, the International Affairs Fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Meritorious Service Medal from the United States Air Force.
He was appointed to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and is a former member of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Commission. He serves as a trustee of The Ford Foundation, and is on several other boards, including the National Endowment for Democracy and Lehigh University.
Mr. Desai said that Mr. Verma remains a source of deep pride for the Indian American community and the global diaspora.
“Her entire public service career has been one of firsts. Confirmed to become the highest-ranking Indian American in the US government, her latest nomination to serve as Chief Operations Officer of the State Department is no exception. She leads by example.” An inspiration from.” Mr. Desai said.
“At a time when hyper-partisanship and political paralysis have become the norm, Ambassador Verma has always stood out. Her unique approach to leading, serving, and building consensus on the most difficult issues has always won bipartisan support,” They said. ,
“The nomination of Richard Verma offers hope for the return of one of America’s most talented, committed and effective public servants today. The country is safer and stronger,” Desai said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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