After Richard Rahul Verma, who is the US ambassador to India, yet another Indian American has been named the country’s envoy by President Barack Obama nominating Indian-American Atul Keshap, a career foreign service official formerly, an official at its Embassy in New Delhi, as the next US ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives.  Former official at its embassy in New Delhi, as the next US ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives. 

“I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to serve our country. They bring their years of experience and expertise to this Administration, and I look forward to working with them”. 

Currently as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, a position he has held since 2013, Keshap assists Nisha Desai Biswal, the first Indian-American to lead the bureau.. 

As his current role, Keshap had worked closely to coordinate US policy toward India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan, comprising a diverse and strategic region of almost 1.5 billion people and over USD 2 trillion in economic output. 

Previously, he served at the Department of State as a US Senior Official for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2012 to 2013.