Indian Origin American appointed as Ambassador to SL

 

Indian-American Atul Keshap has been confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives, becoming the second Indian-origin diplomat to be posted to the region after Richard Rahul Verma.

Keshap, a former official at the US Embassy in India, was confirmed yesterday by the U.S. Senate as the country’s envoy which would be his first Ambassadorial posting.

He is currently working as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau of State Department.

He joined the Foreign Service in 1994.

Keshap and Verma, the U.S. envoy to India, both trace their origin to Punjab.

Keshap said since January, Sri Lanka has made progress on challenging issues, to beginning the long process of healing after decades of war.