Washington, DC – The Obama Administration and members of US Congress welcomed the approval of the new ambassador to India by the US lawmakers. In an unanimous voice vote the US Senate on Tuesday approved Richard Rahul Verma, 46, as the new US ambassador to India, the first Indian-American to step into that role.
Verma, a lawyer by profession, succeeds Nancy Powell who resigned earlier in March after a row over the arrest and strip & cavity search of an Indian diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, who was accused by authorities in New York of visa fraud and underpaying a domestic worker.
Welcoming the confirmation news, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokesperson said, “We greatly appreciate the progress made this week, including the Senate approval of Rich Verma as US Ambassador to India.”
Congressman Joe Crowley, Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, in a statement said, “I’m thrilled the Senate confirmed Richard Verma as our next ambassador to India. Rich is a skilled and accomplished professional who brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise. He is fully committed to strengthening US-India ties, and I look forward to continuing to work with Rich as we move this important relationship forward.”
Congresswoman Grace Meng, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, hailed the confirmation of Verma saying, “I applaud the Senate’s confirmation of Richard Verma as the new US Ambassador to India. He’ll do an outstanding job, and will work tirelessly to further strengthen the special relationship that exists between our two great countries.”
“I am also honored to share this historic day with the Indian-American community. Richard Verma has made Indian-Americans proud by becoming the first American of Indian descent to serve as Ambassador to India, an asset that will serve him well as he champions the US-India partnership,” Meng added.
Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian American in Congress, and only the third Indian American ever to serve welcomed the news as he highlighted, “Richard’s years of experience as a high ranking official with the US Department of State, as an advisor in both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, and in the US Air Force.”
Congratulating Verma on his appointment, Bera, another member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement, “I have worked with him personally and know he is committed to growing the partnership between India and the US at this critical moment in our relationship and I look forward to working with him.”
Sampat Shivangi, National President, Indian American Forum for Political Education called it “a historic day for the Indian American Community and Indians at large.”
Terming it a early Christmas gift from US Senate and the White House in nominating and confirming unanimously as our next Ambassador Richard Verma,” Shivangi noted, “Even though Senate had other 50 odd confirmations, it gave highest priority to Richard Verma’s confirmation in view of upcoming President (Barack) Obama’s visit to India as a Chief Guest at the Indian Republican day event on January 26, 2015.”
Specializing in international law, Verma has worked as senior national security adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and advised on a key commission on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction. Verma served as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs at the State Department in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011. He is currently a senior counsellor at Steptoe & Johnson law firm and the Albright Stonebridge Group, a business advisory company, led by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Recently Verma had been instrumental in starting a “India 2020″ project at a top American-think tank, “Center for American Progress.”
In view of the visit of Obama in January, Verma is expected to arrive in Delhi as soon as possible to oversee the arrangements. Verma’s association with President Obama goes back to 2008, when he helped prepare presidential debates for the then Senator Obama from Illinois.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Washington, DC in September after addressing United Nations General Assembly in New York. The visit caught global attention as Prime Minister Modi and President Obama called for a “new agenda” between their countries.