Wilmington: US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday nominated Indian-origin Vanita Gupta to serve as Associate Attorney General of the United States making her the first woman of colour to serve in this role.
Gupta becomes the latest addition to Biden’s team that features Indian Americans such as former US surgeon general Vivek Murthy.
“A former Acting Assistant Attorney General and one of the best-known and most respected civil rights attorneys in America, Gupta has spent her career fighting successfully for greater equity in our justice system and advancing the rights and dignity of every American,” read the Biden-Harris transition Website.
It added that Gupta has served as Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division — the chief civil rights prosecutor for the United States.
“She is a successful consensus builder on tough issues, with years of experience managing complex settlements and advocacy experience. As the Indian-American daughter of immigrants, she would be the first woman of color to serve in this role,” the website read further.
Biden in November announced that Indian-American Neera Tanden as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Tanden currently serves as President and CEO of the Center for American Progress, an organization dedicated to advancing policies that increase the opportunity for every American.
Indian-American Dr Vivek Murthy, a distinguished physician, and former Vice Admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps has been nominated to serve as the Surgeon General in US President-elect Biden’s health team leading the COVID-19 response team.
Biden is set to be inaugurated on January 20. The US Congress on Wednesday/Thursday certified the electoral college votes that declared Biden as the winner of the Presidential election.