Indian American diplomat served as US Ambassador to India during the Obama Administration.
President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Richard Verma, former US ambassador to India, to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.
Currently the Chief Legal Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard, Â Verma also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs during the Obama Administration, according to a White House announcement Friday.
Earlier in his career, he was National Security Advisor to US Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) while he was Democratic Whip, Minority Leader and then Majority Leader of the US Senate.
READ: Richard Verma is the new US Ambassador to India (December 9, 2014)
He has served as Vice Chairman of The Asia Group, Partner and Senior Counselor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, and Senior Counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group.
He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served on active duty as a Judge Advocate. He earned a BS at Lehigh University, a JD cum laude at American University, an LLM with distinction at Georgetown University Law Center, and a PhD at Georgetown University.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal from the Department of State, 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.
READ: Biden names Richard Verma to President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (May 5, 2022)
He serves as a trustee of The Ford Foundation, and is on numerous other boards, including the National Endowment for Democracy and Lehigh University.
Welcoming, Verma’s nomination, Indiaspora, a leading diaspora organization, said “Rich is the ideal candidate to serve the country in the top echelons of the State Department.â€
“In nominating Rich to this very senior State Department role, President Biden and Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken have made an inspired choice,†said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora.
“Given his significant experience in the executive and legislative branches of government, his critical diplomatic vantage point as the former US Ambassador to India, and his international private sector leadership background, Rich is the ideal candidate to serve the country in the top echelons of the State Department,†he stated.
READ: Ford Foundation appoints Richard Verma to board of trustees (October 25, 2021)
“Equally importantly, he possesses the character, temperament and judgment to serve in this capacity,” Joshipura added.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Verma has worked on a wide range of issues, including foreign policy, national security, and economic development, Indiaspora stated.
“He has a strong track record of promoting US interests abroad and building strong relationships with foreign governments,†it said noting he was ranked by India Abroad as one of the 50 most influential Indian Americans.