Indian Americans Fill Key Positions in President Biden’s Administration
Indian Americans in the United States make for nearly 1% in the total population and 5.9% in the total foreign born population. With President Joe Biden taking office, Indian Americans will hold some of the most prestigious offices in the nation’s administration. Joining the administration will be 20 Indian Americans, 13 of whom are women and 7 men, and 17 of those are expected to be part of the White House Complex.
Apart from Vice-President Kamala Harris, the elite team will include others of Indian descent in key positions, although several of these nominations will have to be ratified by the US Congress to take office.
*INDIAN AMERICANS IN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION*
*some pending senate confirmation*
Neera Tanden
Neera Tanden, Office of Management and Budget: Tanden was president of the Progressive Center for American Progress think tank that helped develop Obamacare.
Vice Admiral Vivek Murth
Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General: Dr. Murthy was Surgeon General of the US under the Obama administration.
Vanita Gupta
Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice: Gupta is the CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights civil rights coalition.
Uzra Zeya
Uzra Zeya, Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights: Zeya was CEO of The Alliance for Peacebuilding, to end violence and conflict in different countries.
Mala Adiga
Mala Adiga, Policy Director, Jill Biden: Adiga was the director for Higher Education and Military Families for the Biden Foundation.
Garima Verma
Garima Verma, Digital Director, Office of the First Lady: Verma was audience development and content strategist on the Biden-Harris campaign.
Sabrina Singh
Sabrina Singh, First Lady’s Deputy Press Secretary: Singh was Press Secretary for VP Kamala Harris during the Biden-Harris campaign.
Aisha Shah
Aisha Shah, Partnership Manager, White House Office of Digital Strategy: Shah is an advancement specialist for the Smithsonian Institution.
Sameera Fazili
Sameera Fazili, Deputy Director for The US National Economic Council (NEC): Fazili was posted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as the director of engagement for community and economic development.
Bharat Ramamurti
Bharat Ramamurti, Deputy Director, White House NEC: Ramamurti is a distinguished alumnus of Harvard College and Yale School of Law.
Gautam Raghavan
Gautam Raghavan, Deputy Director, Office of Presidential Personnel: Raghavan served as the associate director of the Office of Public Liaison in the Obama administration.
Vinay Reddy
Vinay Reddy, Director of Speech Writing: Reddy was chief speechwriter for Biden during his second term as Vice President during the Obama presidency.
Vedant Patel
Vedant Patel, Assistant Press Secretary to the President: Patel was regional communications director during the Biden-Harris campaign.
Sonia Aggarwal
Sonia Aggarwal, Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation (Office of the Domestic Climate Policy): Aggarwal is an expert on energy and climate change.
Vidur Sharma
Vidur Sharma, Policy Advisor for Testing, Covid-19 Response Team: Sharma was health policy advisor on the Domestic Policy Council during the Obama administration.
The National Security Council:
Tarun Chhabra
Tarun Chhabra, Senior Director for Technology and National Security: Chhabra, an alumnus of Oxford, Harvard and Stanford University, has worked in various capacities in the White House.
Sumona Guha
Sumona Guha, Senior Director for South Asia: Guha co-chaired the South Asia foreign policy working group on the Biden-Harris campaign.
Shanthi Kalathil
Shanthi Kalathil, Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights: Kalathil is senior director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy.
Office of the White House Counsel:
Neha Gupta
Neha Gupta, Associate Counsel: Gupta served in the Office of the General Counsel during the transition of the incoming administration.
Reema shah
Reema Shah, Deputy Associate Counsel: Shah was part of Biden’s debate preparation team.
