Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, an Indian-American, has been sworn as the Ambassador at Large to address Global Women Issues.        

FREMONT, CA: Kamala Harris has sworn in Indian American Geeta Rao Gupta as the Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues in the State Department. Confirmed by the Senate in May 2023, Dr. Gupta led by 51 to 47 votes for the position.

Dr. Gupta believes that women, all around the world, face various inequities and indignities, holding them back from rendering their fullest to a nation’s economy. They are often subjected to threats and live under a fear of violence generally, underscoring their mobility in global participation. A critical analysis of the situation of conflict and emergencies, in addition to humanitarian crises, highly denotes that women are particularly vulnerable on grounds of safety and looking after families and feeding them.

The 67-year-old leader is a first-generation immigrant belonging to a family of professional women, who dedicated their lives to serving the women's communities, and a member of men, who rendered their extended support to uplift women and their rights. When addressing the gathering for her election campaign, she added that her doctorate, pursued in India, was based on understanding the barriers that women often face in their careers. This has critically led her to propel a career in rectifying the inequities in gender, addressing the adversities faced by women. She pointed out the emerging women entrepreneurs and the brave women out there, who have harnessed available  resources to shelter and protect their families and their fellow communities.

Dr. Gupta has served as the executive director of the 3D Program for Girls and Women and the senior fellow at the United Nations Foundation. Her notable role includes deputy executive director at UNICEF and a senior fellow at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The swearing ceremony was attended by her husband, Arvind Gupta, her daughter, and several other family members.