Atul Keshap Named U.S. Envoy To Sri Lanka, Maldives

Friday, 27 March 2015, 23:24 IST
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WASHINGTON: After Richard Rahul Verma, who is the U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is charged with boosting US trade abroad.
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Source: IANS