America
Atul Keshap named US envoy to Sri Lanka, Maldives
By
By Arun Kumar Washington, March 27
After Richard Rahul
Verma, who is the US ambassador to India, yet another Indian American
has been named the country's envoy by President Barack Obama. Atul
Keshap, a senior Indian-American foreign service official, has been
named as ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
"I am honoured
that these talented individuals have decided to serve our country.
They bring their years of experience and expertise to this
administration, and I look forward to working with them," he said
announcing Keshap's appointment with three others.
Currently as
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of South and Central
Asian Affairs, a position he has held since 2013, Keshap assists Nisha
Desai Biswal, the first Indian-American to lead the bureau.
Now
with Keshap's appointments, Indian Americans would be serving as US
envoys in three of eight SAARC nations. Another Indian American, Puneet
Talwar as assistant secretary for political-military affairs, serves as a
bridge between the State and Defence departments.
And Arun
Madhavan Kumar as assistant secretary of commerce and director general
of the US and Foreign Commercial Service is charged with boosting US
trade abroad.
Keshap previously served at the State Department as
a US Senior Official for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in the
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2012 to 2013.
From
2010 to 2012, he was the Director for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives in the Bureau of South and Central Asian
Affairs.
Prior to that, Keshap was Director for United Nations
Human Rights in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from
2008 to 2010 and Deputy Political Counselor at the US Embassy in New
Delhi, India from 2005 to 2008.
He served as Director for Near
Eastern and North African Affairs in the National Security Council from
2003 to 2004 and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for
Political Affairs from 2002 to 2003.
Keshap's earlier assignments
with the State Department included postings in Morocco and Guinea.
Keshap received a BA and MA from the University of Virginia.
With
over a score direct Obama appointees in high places, two governors, a
House member, a state attorney general and eight state legislators,
Indian Americans have over the years gained power and influence far
beyond their numbers.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])