Washington, DC – The Indian Ambassador to the United States bade farewell to New York Congressman Gary Ackerman, the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India, at a July 19 event to recognize his retirement.
Addressing a select audience, Ambassador Nirupama Rao described the 69 year old Democratic lawmaker as, “one of the stalwarts and highly respected members of the United States Congress, and someone who we look upon in India with great affection.”
“When our Parliament was attacked on December 13, 2001, and again when Mumbai came under the siege of terrorists crossing borders into India in November 2008 , Congressman Ackerman was there as the leading voice from the U.S. empathizing with and expressing support to our countrymen,” said Rao.
Ambassador Rao quoted from a statement by Ackerman made in Congress after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, saying: “This attack was not the first terrorist incident in India, nor even in Mumbai. Long before September 11, India already had an unfortunately long history of combating terrorists and has seen far too many of its citizens and even its leaders killed by terrorism. But I don’t think we should simply add the latest outrage to the long list of similar outrages. The attack in Mumbai had some significant characteristics to it that require us all to sit up and take notice.”
Paying tribute to the accomplishments of the Congressman, Rao noted his biggest contribution to India-US relations: “The untiring commitment and the personal dedication with which he led and shaped the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans in the House of Representatives.”
Earlier, announcing his retirement, the Congressman issued a statement, “During my years in Congress, it has been my pleasure to address the needs of thousands of individual constituents and to influence domestic and global policy while serving on the Financial and Foreign Affairs Committees in the House.”
Ackerman, a senior member of the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees, was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1983. (IATNS)