Washington: Describing him as a "trailblazer" who personifies the best of America, the US President Barack Obama has said that Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan will serve as a judge of America's second highest court "with distinction".

Chandigarh-born Srinivasan's nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was unanimously approved by the Senate yesterday, with 97 voting in favor.

46-year-old Srinivasan has become the first South Asian to be appointed to the top American court.

"Sri is a trailblazer who personifies the best of America. Now he will serve with distinction on the federal bench," Obama said in a statement.

"Sri will in fact be the first South Asian American to serve as a circuit court judge in our history. Born in
Chandigarh, India, and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, Sri spent nearly two decades as an extraordinary litigator before serving as Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States," Obama said yesterday.

Srinivasan was first nominated by Obama on June 11, 2012. On January 2, 2013, his nomination was returned to the President, due to the sine die adjournment of the Senate. On January 3, 2013, Obama re-nominated him for the same office.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, hailed the appointment to what is considered as the top court of the country after the Supreme Court.

Senator Mark R Warner, co-chair of the bipartisan Senate India Caucus, said he is delighted with the unanimous confirmation. Warner had introduced Srinivasan in the Judiciary Committee earlier this year.