Nisha Desai Biswal

Nisha Desai Biswal is an American businesswoman and public official in the United States. Biswal is the president of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) and Senior Vice President for South Asia at the United States Chamber of Commerce. She previously served as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs in the United States Department of State under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Biswal was the first South-Asian American to hold this position. She oversaw the U.S.-India strategic partnership during a period of unprecedented cooperation, including the launch of an annual U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. Biswal was awarded the prestigious Samman Award by the President of India in January 2017. Biswal was also instrumental in launching the US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue, the C5+1 Dialogue between the United States and the Central Asian States of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Biswal also serves on the United States Institute of Peace International Advisory Council, on the Afghanistan Study Group and is on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Sustainable Communities, the Leadership Council for Women in National Security and is active in Democratic politics.

Nisha Desai Biswal
Biswal greets Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs
In office
January 24, 2014 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
DeputyWilliam E. Todd
Preceded byRobert Blake
Succeeded byWilliam E. Todd (Acting)
Personal details
Born1968 (age 52–53)
Gujarat, India
EducationUniversity of Virginia (BA)

Early life and education

Biswal immigrated to the United States from India with her parents.[1][2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from the University of Virginia.[3]

Career

After briefly working in public relations, Biswal became an overseas delegate for the American Red Cross, serving in Armenia, Azerbajian and Georgia. Biswal served as Assistant Administrator for Asia at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), overseeing US development assistance programs and policies for the Asia-Pacific region. She also spent over a decade on Capitol Hill, working as staff director for State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee in House Appropriations Committee and as professional staff for the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives.

She was nominated for the post of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia by President Barack Obama on July 19, 2013.[1] Most recently, Biswal was senior advisor for Albright Stonebridge Group, a global business strategy firm. At ASG, she worked with the India & South Asia practice.[4] Since 2011, Biswal has served as a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Personal life

Nisha Desai Biswal is an Indian American of Gujarati descent.[5] Biswal lives in Washington D.C. with her husband, two daughters and their Aussiedoodle puppy, Izzy.

Awards
YearCountryAward NameGiven byField of Merit
2017 United StatesPravasi Bharatiya SammanPresident of IndiaPublic Service

References
  1. "Indian-American nominated for key post in Obama Admin". CNBC-TV18. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  2. "Freshman Congressman Mistakes Senior Government Officials for Foreigners". Foreign Policy Blogs. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  3. "Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs: Who Is Nisha Desai Biswal?". AllGov. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  4. "Nisha Biswal". Albright Stonebridge Group. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  5. Abeywardena, Hemantha (December 8, 2013). "Appointment of Nisha Desai Biswal – the Gujarati Connection". London: Asian Tribune.
Political offices
Preceded by
Robert Blake		 Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs
2014–2017		 Succeeded by
William E. Todd
Acting
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