For the first time ever 20 Indian-Americans, including 13 women, nominated to key positions

Washington: Democrat Joe Biden took charge as the 46th President of the United States of America on Jan. 20. While the transfer of power was not peaceful in the world’s oldest Constitutional Republic, that transfer did occur on Wednesday on the West Front of the US Capitol. 

Biden swore the Presidential oath on a bulging century-old family Bible moments after Kamala Devi Harris officially became America’s first woman Vice-President. “Democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed,” Biden said before a National Mall that was virtually empty due to the ultra-tight security and a raging COVID-19 pandemic that he vowed to confront swiftly.

Biden was administered the oath by Chief Justice John Roberts shortly before noon. Just prior to that, Kamala Harris, the first woman, African-American and Indian-American to hold the Vice-Presidency, was sworn-in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor — the first Latina in the US Top Court.

 Past Presidents — Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and their spouses — were also present as was outgoing Vice-President Mike Pence. Conspicuous by his absence was outgoing President Donald Trump who had left earlier that morning for his residence and resort at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

Trump refused to meet Biden at the White House and travel with him to the inauguration as per tradition. However, he had, as per reports, left a personal note in the Oval Office for his successor as is the custom. While he wished the next administration “great luck and great success”, Trump did not mention Biden by name. The former President, who has hinted that he may run again in 2024, said, “We will be back in some form.”

Modi congratulates

“My warmest congratulations to Joe Biden on his assumption of office as President of the United States of America. I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership,” PM Modi said in a tweet. “My best wishes for a successful term in leading the USA as we stand united and resilient in addressing common challenges and advancing global peace and security,” he added. 

PM Modi also wished the new US Vice-President, Kamala Harris. “Congratulations to @KamalaHarris on being sworn-in as @VP. It is a historic occasion. Looking forward to interacting with her to make India-USA relations more robust. The India-USA partnership is beneficial for our planet,” he tweeted.

20 Indian-Americans in Biden administration

Biden has nominated at least 20 Indian-Americans, including 13 women, to key positions in his administration. As many as 17 of them, including Neera Tanden who has been nominated as the Director of Management and Budget, would be part of the Biden administration in the powerful White House Complex.

It is for the first time ever that so many Indian-Americans have been roped into a Presidential administration. Dr. Vivek Murthy has been nominated as the US Surgeon General. 

Vanita Gupta has been nominated as Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice and Uzra Zeya as Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights.

Mala Adiga has been appointed as Policy Director to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Garima Verma would be the Digital Director of the Office of the First Lady, while Sabrina Singh has been named as the White House Deputy Press Secretary.

Aisha Shah has been named as Partnership Manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy and Sameera Fazili would occupy the key position of Deputy Director at the US National Economic Council (NEC) in the White House.

White House National Economic Council also has another Indian-American, Bharat Ramamurti, as Deputy Director. Gautam Raghavan, who served at the White House in the previous Obama administration returns to the White House as Deputy Director in Office of Presidential Personnel.

Among Biden’s inner circle is his top confidant for years Vinay Reddy, who has been named as Director Speech Writing. Vedant Patel will be Assistant Press Secretary to the President. Three Indian-Americans have made their way to the crucial National Security Council of the White House, thus leaving a permanent imprint on the country’s foreign policy and national security. 

They are Tarun Chhabra, Senior Director for Technology and National Security, Sumona Guha, Senior Director for South Asia, Shanthi Kalathil, Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights. Sonia Aggarwal has been named Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation in the Office of the Domestic Climate Policy at the White House and Vidur Sharma as Policy Advisor for Testing for the White House COVID-19 Response Team.

Two Indian-American women have been appointed to the Office of the White House Counsel are Neha Gupta as Associate Counsel and Reema Shah as Deputy Associate Counsel.