WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): After Richard Rahul Varma, who served as US Ambassador to India and Nikki Haley Randhawa, who represented the US at the United Nations as its Ambassador, Shefali thus joins the elite band of Indian Americans chosen for top diplomatic assignments. Between 2015 and 2018, High Commissioners of Australia (Ms Harinder Sidhu), and Canada (Nader Patel) besides US Ambassador (Richard Rahul Varma) all belonged to the Indian Diaspora. In between, Canada’s Consul-General in Chandigarh, Rajni Alexander, also belonged to this elite group. Shefali’s  appointment comes at a time when the number of Indian Americans holding top positions in the Biden Administration has crossed 130-mark.

Though Shefali was born in Haridwar and moved with her family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of two, she has her roots in Kashmir. “I was born in India, but I was made in the United States,” Duggal told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing in July.

A versatile political activist , Shefali Duggal, has also been a women’s rights advocate and human rights campaigner. She also remained a former presidential Appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council. She continues to serve as a Western Regional Advisor.

She is  represented by a number of organizations, including  San Francisco Human Rights Watch, Wake Forest University Leadership and Character Council, and the National Board of Directors for Emily’s List.

“I have full confidence that kindness, empathy, honesty and equity mean something in our country. It is the reason why people from all over the world see us as a beacon of hope and freedom. While my story is not unique, it is one that represents the infinite possibilities of the American spirit and the American dream,” Duggal said. During her confirmation hearing testimony, Duggal said as an immigrant, she represents the diverse face of the United States and the generations of people throughout its history who found an opportunity in the US. She served as National Co-Chair of Women for Biden, and as a Deputy National Finance Chair at the Democratic National Committee.