Continuing the trend of appointing Indian Americans to important positions in his administration, US President Joe Biden is nominating Indian American political activist Shefali Razdan Duggal as his envoy to the Netherlands. According to the White House, Duggal, 50, is an Indian immigrant to the United States from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. She was raised in Cincinnati, Chicago, New York and Boston.

The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.  

Duggal, a mother of two, is an experienced political activist, women's rights advocate and human rights campaigner, the White House said. She is a former Presidential Appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and continues to serve as a Western Regional Advisor.

Duggal is a San Francisco Committee member of Human Rights Watch, a member of the Wake Forest University Leadership and Character Council, and served on the National Board of Directors for Emily's List. She received an MA in Political Communication from New York University. She also studied Mass Communication at Miami University.

Duggal is the recipient of numerous civic awards, including being recognised with the Western Regional Leadership Award by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, as a Community Hero by the California State Assembly, and as one of the Most Powerful Women in California by the National Diversity Council.

She served as National Co-Chair of Women for Joe Biden, and as a Deputy National Finance Chair at the Democratic National Committee, the White House said.

Duggal had been active in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and had also been associated with Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign where she was a member of her campaign's Northern California Steering Committee and the Women for Hillary Committee.

Starting with Vice President Kamala Harris, there are at least 50 Indian Americans in key positions in the Biden Administration. 

(SAM)