Sworn in with the Bhagavad Gita; Indian-origin Kash Patel takes charge as FBI Director

Indian-origin Kash Patel has been sworn in as the new Director of the FBI. The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) on the White House campus in Washington. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi administered the oath, and Patel took his oath by placing his hand on the Bhagavad Gita.

Kash Patel attended the ceremony with his sister and wife. Describing the moment as the greatest fortune of his life, he stated that his rise to such a high position, despite growing up in ordinary circumstances, is proof of the opportunities America offers. He expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity. Patel has now taken charge as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Though widely known as Kash Patel, his full name is Kashyap Patel. He comes from a Gujarati family that immigrated to the United States via Canada. Born in New York on February 25, 1980, Patel began his career as a lawyer. Between 2005 and 2013, he worked as a county and federal public defender in Florida. In 2014, he was appointed as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's National Security Division. Now, he will lead the globally renowned investigative agency, which has 38,000 employees and an annual budget of $11 billion.