Over 20 Indian-Americans named in Biden's agency review teams

US President-elect Joe Biden has named more than 20 Indian-Americans as members, including three as team les, to his ncy review teams (ARTs) that are responsible for evaluating operations of key federal ncies in current ministration to ensure smooth transfer of power. Biden's transition team said this is one of most diverse ncy review teams in presidential transition history.

Of hundreds of ART members, more than half are women, and approximately 40 per cent represent communities historically underrepresented in federal government, including people of colour, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities.

ncy review teams are responsible for understanding operations of each ncy, ensuring a smooth transfer of power, and preparing for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and ir Cabinet to hit ground running on Day One. At least three Indian Americans have been named as team les to various ARTs.

Arun Majumdar from prestigious Stanford University is team le for Department of Energy ART. Rahul Gupta is team le for Office of National Drug Control Policy. Kiran Ahuja has been named Team Le for Office of Personnel Manment. Puneet Talwar has been named to Department of State ART. Pav Singh has been named to two ARTs for National Security Council and Office of Science and Techlogy. Similarly, Arun Venkatraman has been named to two ARTs Department of Commerce and USTR.

Or prominent Indian Americans named to ARTs are Pravina Raghavan, Atman Trivedi for Department of Commerce and Shital Shah for Department of Education; R Ramesh and Rama Zakaria for Department of Energy; Subhasri Ramanathan for Department of Homeland Security; Raj De for Department of Justice; and Seema Nanda and Raj Nayak for Department of Labour.

Reena Aggarwal, and Satyam Khanna have been named to Federal Reserve, Banking and Securities Regulators ARTs; Bhavya Lal for NASA; Dilpreet Sidhu for National Security Council, Divya Kumaraiah for Office of Manment and Budget; Kumar Chandran for Department of Agriculture; and Aneesh Chopra to US Postal Service. Almost all of m are volunteers. se teams are composed of highly experienced and talented professionals with deep backgrounds in crucial policy areas across federal government.

“Our nation is grappling with a pandemic, an ecomic crisis, urgent calls for racial justice, and existential threat of climate change. We must be prepared for a seamless transfer of kwledge to incoming ministration to protect our interests at home and abro. ncy review process will help lay foundation for meeting se challenges on Day One,” said Senator Ted Kaufman, Co-Chair, Biden-Harris Transition.

“ work of ncy review teams is critical for protecting national security, dressing ongoing public health crisis, and demonstrating that America remains beacon of democracy for world,” he said.

transition team anunced ncy review teams even as outgoing President Donald Trump's ministration has yet to formally recognise Biden as president-elect. A formal recognition from General Services ministration is needed to allow transition staff access to federal workers and much of information y will need.

Trump, a Republican, has declined to concede closely-fought vember 3 presidential race to Democrat Biden and is mounting legal fights in several key battleground states alleging voter irregularities or widespre fraud in election -- billed as one of most divisive and bitter in recent American history. President Trump has me repeated and baseless claims that Democratic Party has tried to steal election.

Once GSA ministrator ascertains results of election, ART members will work directly with staff in federal ncies to ensure that incoming Biden-Harris ministration is able to effectively achieve policy goals of President and Vice President-elect. ARTs will proceed by meeting with former ncy officials and experts who closely follow federal ncies, and with officials from think tanks, labour groups, tre associations, and or NGOs. Many of ART members have h long careers in federal ncies y will w help prepare for incoming Biden-Harris ministration, transition said. 

(Im Credits: AP)