Who is Richard Rahul Verma?

Washington: The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Richard Rahul Verma, President Barack Obama's nominee to be the next American ambassador to India, making him the first Indian-American envoy in New Delhi.

Here are a few facts about Verma: 

1. Richard Rahul Verma was named as the US envoy to India just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last September. He is expected to take up his position in New Delhi before Barack Obama's visit to India as the chief guest at Republic Day.
2. Currently, Verma is a senior counsellor at the Steptoe and Johnson law firm and the Albright Stonebridge Group, a business advisory company led by former secretary of state Madeleine Albright.
3. Verma is also a Senior National Security Fellow at the Centre for American Progress and serves on the boards of Human Rights First, the Clinton Foundation and the National Democratic Institute.
4. A Lehigh University graduate who received a JD from American University, and an LL.M from Georgetown University Law Centre, Verma served as assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the State Department from 2009 to 2011 under Hillary Clinton.
5. Verma served on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism in 2008 and has been a member of the Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board.
6. He was also senior national security advisor, counsel and foreign policy advisor to the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from 2002 to 2007, and an associate at Steptoe & Johnson from 1998 to 2002.
7. Verma served on active duty in the US Air Force from 1994 to 1998 and received, among other decorations, the Meritorious Service Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal.
8. Earlier in his career, Verma was a Field Representative for the National Democratic Institute in Eastern Europe and worked in the House of Representatives for Congressman John P Murtha.