Washington: With Nisha Desai Biswal becoming US` first ever Indian-American point person for South Asia, Secretary of State John Kerry has said her success and that of others from the community is reflective of the deep ties his country has with India.
Biswal, the first Indian-American to become Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, was formally sworn in by Kerry at an impressive ceremony held at the State Department which was attended by key officials of the Obama Administration including the White House Chief of Staff, Dennis McDonough.
"Nisha`s experience and the success that so many Indian- Americans bring to the American table shows to everybody in the world the deep ties that we have between the US and India.
"And I know that we`re going to unlock the enormous potential of stronger economic, security, and cultural ties between our countries," Kerry said in his remarks.
Describing Biswal as an woman with "incredible energy" and praising her focus and her enthusiasm for what she does, Kerry said, "Think about the message that we`re sending today, whichI am excited about:?The story of a woman who left a small town in India at age 6 to come to America and now becomes one of the most important leaders in the Department of State."
"It`s a great story; it`s the American story. It is proof of the power of the American journey. It helps capture how in every generation, immigrants revitalise America and renew us and help to remind us of our common roots and then go on to write the next chapter of American history," he said.
As the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Biswal would be Obama`s point person for entire South and Central Asia -- a region of the world, which Kerry said is home to two billion people and has a collective GDP of USD 2 trillion.
"We are invested in that region`s prosperity for the long haul and in naming Nisha Biswal as the Assistant Secretary today, we show the strength of that commitment," he said.
Kerry said Biswal`s colleagues say that she is somebody who speaks softly and carries a big stick.
"The truth is she doesn`t need to speak too loudly about so many of America`s strengths because whether it`s women`s rights or human rights or a belief in the power of education and equal opportunity, Nisha has lived every single one of those lessons," he said.
