WASHINGTON (TIP): U.S. Senate on Wednesday, December 10, unanimously confirmed Richard Rahul Verma as the next US ambassador to India. Verma becomes the first-ever Indian-American to hold the post. Verma’s nomination was approved by the Senate by a voice vote, reflecting a sense of bi-partisan support to the Indo-US ties and his popularity among senators across the aisle. The Senate raced through his nomination process ahead of more than 50 ambassadorial nominations to make sure that he is in New Delhi when US President Barack Obama travels to India for the Republic Day.

Verma had played an important role in the Congressional passage of civil nuclear deal with India and had advocated for strong Indo-US ties when in the administration and recently started “India 2020” project at Centre for American Progress – a top American think tank. He will replace Nancy Powell, who resigned in March after a damaging row over the treatment of diplomat Devyani Khobragade over visa fraud charges. The US embassy in New Delhi is currently headed by charge d’affaires Kathleen Stephens. Verma is currently a senior counselor at Steptoe & Johnson law firm and the Albright Stonebridge Group – a business advisory company led by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright. Verma’s association with Obama goes back to 2008 when he worked on presidential debate preparations for the then Illinois senator.