Obama nominates Indian-American to head USAID

President Barack Obama has nominated Indian-American Rajiv Shah to head US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The post of Administrator, of the federal agency responsible for all non-military aid by the US, had been kept vacant by the Obama Administration so far. If Congress confirms the nomination of Shah - who at present is the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and Chief Scientist at the US Department of Agriculture - then he would possibly become the highest ranking Indian American in any US Administration.

"Rajiv brings fresh ideas and the dedication and impressive background necessary to help guide USAID as it works to achieve this important goal," Obama said in a statement announcing his decision to nominate Shah as the Administrator of USAID on Tuesday.

The mission of USAID is to advance US' interests by strengthening our relationships abroad. "I look forward to working with Rajiv in the months and years ahead," Obama said.

Shah, presently, manages the Agricultural Research Service, the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistical Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the US Department of Agriculture with more than 10,000 staff worldwide including 2,200 federal scientists and a budget of more than $2.6 billion.

Shah, an MD from University of Pennsylvania Medical School and Master of Science in health economics at the Wharton School of Business, also leads the Department's participation in Obama's global food security initiative. He has also attended the London School of Economics, and is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

In his tenure at USDA, he launched National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) a new scientific institute created to elevate and enhance the capacity of agricultural research to address sustainable food production, climate change, bio-energy and human nutrition.

Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Shah served as the Director for Agricultural Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Earlier, he served as the foundation's first Director for Financial Services to the Poor and led the strategic opportunities initiative through which he worked with foundation co-chairs to identify, assess and recommend new areas of giving.

Before joining the Foundation, Shah worked on health care policy for Gore's 2000 presidential campaign and served as a member of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's transition committee on health. He is a co-founder of Health Systems Analytics and Project IMPACT for South Asian Americans. He had also served as a policy aide in the British Parliament and worked at the World Health Organisation.