Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, July 2 (IANS) President Barack Obama has nominated Indian-American Nisha Desai Biswal as assistant administrator for Asia in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The agency channelling US developmental aid is headed by Rajiv Shah, the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama Administration.

Biswal is currently a majority clerk for the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee on the Committee on Appropriations in the US House of Representatives.

Announcing her nomination and seven others, Obama said: “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have agreed to join my administration. I am confident they will serve ably in their new roles, and look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

In her present position, she has jurisdiction over the State Department, USAID and other aspects of the international affairs budget.

Biswal was the director of policy and advocacy at InterAction, the largest alliance of US based international humanitarian and development non-governmental organisations.

She previously served on the professional staff of the House International Relations Committee where she was responsible for South and Central Asia policy as well as oversight of the State Department and USAID.

Biswal worked at USAID where she served as special assistant to the administrator.

During her four years at USAID, Biswal also worked in the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, the Office of Transition Initiatives, and served as chief of staff in the Management Bureau.

Biswal has also worked with the American Red Cross both in their Washington headquarters and overseas as an international delegate in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Biswal holds a BA from the University of Virginia.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)