{{Short description|American diplomat (born 1968)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Richard Verma | image = Richard R. Verma, Deputy Secretary of State.jpg | office = 5th [[Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources|United States Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources]] | president = [[Joe Biden]] | term_start = April 5, 2023 | term_end = January 20, 2025 | predecessor = [[Brian P. McKeon]] | successor = [[Michael Rigas]] | office1 = [[United States Ambassador to India]] | president1 = [[Barack Obama]] | term_start1 = January 16, 2015 | term_end1 = January 20, 2017 | predecessor1 = [[Kathleen Stephens]] (Acting) | successor1 = [[MaryKay Carlson]] (Acting) | office2 = 28th [[Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs]] | president2 = [[Barack Obama]] | term_start2 = April 6, 2009 | term_end2 = March 14, 2011 | predecessor2 = [[Matthew A. Reynolds|Matthew Reynolds]] | successor2 = [[David S. Adams (State Department)|David S. Adams]] | birth_name = Richard Rahul Verma | birth_date = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1968|11|27}}}} | birth_place = [[Edmonton]], [[Canada]] | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = Melineh Verma | children = 3 | education = [[Lehigh University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[American University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])<br>[[Georgetown University]] ([[Master of Laws|LLM]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]]) | branch = {{flag|United States Air Force}} | unit = [[United States Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps]] | service_years = 1994–1998 | caption = Official portrait, 2023 }} '''Richard Rahul Verma''' (born November 27, 1968)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/know-about-ex-us-ambassador-richard-verma-nominated-by-president-joe-biden-for-new-role/articleshow/96477158.cms|title=Know About Ex-US Ambassador Richard Verma, Nominated By Joe Biden For New Role |work=The Economic Times |date=24 December 2022 |access-date=1 April 2023}}</ref> is an [[Americans|American]] diplomat, who served as the [[Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources|deputy secretary of state for management and resources]], a position he held from April 5, 2023, to January 20, 2025.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-12-23 |title=President Biden Announces Nominee for Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/23/president-biden-announces-key-nominee-7/ |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref> He served as the [[Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs|assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs]] from 2009 to 2011, and as the [[United States Ambassador to India|U.S. ambassador to India]] from 2014 to 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last=Revesz |first=Rachel |date=January 20, 2017 |title=Donald Trump has fired all foreign US ambassadors with nobody to replace them |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-fires-us-ambassadors-no-replacements-a7538256.html |accessdate=January 20, 2017 |work=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/121680.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417064851/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/121680.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-04-17 |title=Verma, Richard R |publisher=State.gov |date=2009-04-06 |accessdate=2010-10-19}}</ref> He served as the chief legal officer and head of global public policy at [[Mastercard]], from 2020 to 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mastercard Names Richard Verma Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs|url=https://investor.mastercard.com/investor-news/investor-news-details/2020/Mastercard-Names-Richard-Verma-Executive-Vice-President-of-Global-Public-Policy-and-Regulatory-Affairs/default.aspx|access-date=2021-02-10|website=investor.mastercard.com|language=en-US}}</ref> and as the vice chair of [[the Asia Group]] from 2017 to 2020, where he oversaw the firm's South Asia practice.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiaabroad.com/diplomacy/former-envoy-verma-joins-the-asia-group/article_c84eeb08-6e7a-11e7-9772-77e5ee7dc98b.html|title=Former envoy Verma joins The Asia Group|last=Haniffa|first=Aziz|work=IndiaAbroad.com|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en|archive-date=2023-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406005700/https://www.indiaabroad.com/diplomacy/former-envoy-verma-joins-the-asia-group/article_c84eeb08-6e7a-11e7-9772-77e5ee7dc98b.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also practiced law for many years at [[Steptoe & Johnson|Steptoe & Johnson LLP]] in Washington DC, and served as a Senior Counselor and Lead of the India and South Asia practice at Albright Stonebridge Group.
==Early life and education== Verma's [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] parents were born in [[India]] and lived through the [[partition of India]]. They first immigrated to the United States in the early 1960s. Verma's father was an English professor<ref>[https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Indian_Imagination.html?id=reSuhavjBD4C The Indian Imagination: Critical Essays on Indian Writing in English, K.D. Verma, Palgrave Macmillan, Jun 3, 2000]</ref> at the [[University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown]] for forty years, and was originally from [[Apra, Punjab|Apra]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=NewsGram |date=2016-01-28 |title=US envoy Richard R Verma wraps up his`productive' visit to Haryana and Punjab |url=https://www.newsgram.com/general/2016/01/28/us-envoy-richard-r-verma-wraps-up-hisproductive-visit-to-haryana-and-punjab |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=NewsGram |language=en}}</ref> His late mother was a special education teacher.
The youngest of five children, Verma grew up in [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], and attended public school in the [[Westmont Hilltop School District]].<ref name="rediff.com">[http://www.rediff.com/news/report/obama-names-richard-verma-as-new-us-envoy-to-india/20140919.htm Obama names Richard Verma as new US envoy to India on rediff]</ref> Verma holds degrees from [[Georgetown University]] (PhD), [[Georgetown University Law Center]] (LLM), [[American University, Washington College of Law|American University Washington College of Law]] (JD), and [[Lehigh University]] (BS, Industrial Engineering). At Lehigh, Verma was an ROTC cadet, member of [[Lambda Chi Alpha]], and senior class president.
==Early career== [[File:Barack Obama with Richard Verma.jpg|alt=Barack Obama with Richard Verma|left|thumb|Barack Obama with Richard Verma, December 2014]] [[File:Shaktikanta Das, IAS signing FATCA.jpg|right|thumb|Richard Verma with India's then [[Secretary to Government of India|Revenue Secretary]], [[Shaktikanta Das]] at the signing of [[Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act|FATCA]].]]
Verma began his career in the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] as an Air Force [[Judge-advocate|judge advocate]], serving on active duty from 1994 to 1998. His military decorations include the [[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] and the [[Commendation Medal|Air Force Commendation Medal]].
Verma later served as the senior national security advisor to Senate majority leader [[Harry Reid]] from 2002 to 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/decisionmakers/dm/375/ |title=Decision Makers - Richard Verma - National Journal Online |work=Nationaljournal.com |accessdate=2010-10-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818013940/http://www.nationaljournal.com/decisionmakers/dm/375/ |archivedate=August 18, 2010 }}</ref> In 2008, he was a member of the [[Commission on the Prevention of WMD proliferation and terrorism]], and co-authored ''World at Risk'' (2008).<ref name="World at Risk">{{cite book|last1=Verma|first1=Richard|last2=Graham|first2=Bob|last3=Talent|first3=Jim|last4=Allison|first4=Graham|last5=Roemer|first5=Tim|last6=Sherman|first6=Wendy|title=World at Risk: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism|date=December 3, 2008|publisher=Vintage|isbn=978-0307473264|pages=[https://archive.org/details/worldatriskrepor00comm/page/132 132]|edition=2008|url=https://archive.org/details/worldatriskrepor00comm/page/132|accessdate=27 September 2014|ref=World at Risk|url-access=registration}}</ref>
After the inauguration of President Barack Obama, he joined the State Department in 2009 as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs under Secretary [[Hillary Clinton]], replacing [[Matthew A. Reynolds]].<ref name="Envoy2009">{{cite news |title=Obama names envoys to Afghanistan, Iraq |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32762233/obama_names_envoys_to_afghanistan_iraq/ |accessdate=11 June 2019 |work=[[Daily Herald (Utah)|The Daily Herald]] |date=12 Mar 2009 |language=en}}</ref>
== U.S. ambassador to India == In September 2014, President Obama nominated Verma as the next U.S. ambassador to India.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/usa-india-ambassador-nominee-idINKBN0HD28J20140918 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218034359/http://in.reuters.com/article/usa-india-ambassador-nominee-idINKBN0HD28J20140918 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 18, 2015 |title=Obama nominates Indian-American as ambassador to India |work=Reuters |date= 18 September 2014|accessdate=2014-09-19}}</ref><ref name="Harris2014">{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Gardiner |title=Lawyer Nominated as Ambassador to India |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/world/asia/richard-verma-nominated-as-ambassador-to-india.html |accessdate=11 June 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=19 September 2014}}</ref> On December 4, 2014, the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations]] voted to forward Verma's nomination to the full Senate. On December 9, 2014, Verma was unanimously confirmed by the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronak-d-desai/understanding-richard-ver_b_6312120.html|title=Understanding Richard Verma's Swift Senate Confirmation as U.S. Ambassador to India|last=Desai|first=Ronak D.|date=2014-12-12|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref>
Verma was the first person of [[Indian American|Indian descent]] to hold the position.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rich Verma confirmed as US ambassador to India|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rich-verma-confirmed-as-us-ambassador-to-india/article1-1294981.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210045223/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rich-verma-confirmed-as-us-ambassador-to-india/article1-1294981.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2014|website=Hindustan Times|accessdate=2 June 2017|language=en|date=10 December 2014}}</ref> As ambassador to India, Verma is credited with the historic deepening and expansion of U.S.-India bilateral ties. Verma oversaw one of the largest U.S. diplomatic missions in the world, including four consulates with staff from nearly every agency in the U.S. Government. During his tenure, he championed historic progress in [[India–United States relations]]. He oversaw several meetings between President Obama and Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]], and created over 100 new initiatives and more than 40 government-to-government dialogues. He was also the first U.S. ambassador to travel to every Indian state.
== Post-ambassador career == Verma stepped down from his post as ambassador on January 20, 2017, following the inauguration of President [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronakdesai/2017/02/03/u-s-ambassador-to-india-richard-verma-leaves-a-lasting-legacy-to-follow/#304f01cf1c58|title=U.S. Ambassador To India Richard Verma Leaves A Lasting Legacy To Follow|last=Desai|first=Ronak D.|work=Forbes|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Reporter">{{Cite news|url=http://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/rich-verma-former-u-s-ambassador-to-india-joins-usispf/article_dde61e82-bb4b-11e7-900f-07dbf0838c29.html|title=Rich Verma, Former U.S. Ambassador to India, Joins USISPF Board|last=Reporter|first=SUNITA SOHRABJI, India-West Staff|work=India West|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en|archive-date=2022-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223220952/http://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/rich-verma-former-u-s-ambassador-to-india-joins-usispf/article_dde61e82-bb4b-11e7-900f-07dbf0838c29.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Verma went on to serve as chief legal officer at Mastercard. Verma is also an active thought leader and commentator on international relations, international law, trade, and diplomacy. He served as a senior fellow the [[Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs]], and served on the boards of [[T. Rowe Price]]<ref>{{cite web|title=T. Rowe Price bio|url=https://www.troweprice.com/corporate/en/what-we-do/leadership.html|publisher=T. Rowe Price}}</ref> and the [[National Endowment for Democracy]]. He is a trustee of [[Lehigh University]], where he gave the 151st commencement address in May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.lehigh.edu/news/former-us-ambassador-to-india-richard-verma-to-deliver-2019-commencement-address|title=Former U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma to Deliver 2019 Commencement Address|date=2019-03-06|website=Lehigh University|language=en|access-date=2019-07-23}}</ref> He was a centennial fellow at the [[Walsh School of Foreign Service]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=2017-03-24|title=Former U.S. Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, Joins SFS as a Centennial Fellow - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University|language=en-US|work=School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University|url=https://sfs.georgetown.edu/former-u-s-ambassador-india-richard-verma-joins-sfs-centennial-fellow/|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> and co-chaired the [[Center for American Progress]] U.S.-India Task Force.<ref name="Reporter"/>
In May 2022, Verma was appointed to serve as a member of the [[President's Intelligence Advisory Board]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-04 |title=President Biden Announces Appointments to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and the National Science Board |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/04/president-biden-announces-appointments-to-the-presidents-intelligence-advisory-board-and-the-national-science-board/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources == In December 2022, President [[Joe Biden]] announced his intent to nominate Verma for the role of [[Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources|deputy secretary of state for management and resources]].<ref name=":1" /> His nomination was praised by the Indian American Impact Fund.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-07 |title=Indian American body celebrates Biden nomination of Richard Verma for Deputy Secretary of State |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/indian-american-body-celebrates-biden-nomination-of-richard-verma-for-deputy-secretary-of-state-8366874/ |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> On March 30, 2023, the [[United States Senate]] confirmed him by a 67–26 vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Richard R. Verma, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources)|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00081.htm|access-date=March 30, 2023}}</ref> Verma was sworn in on April 5, 2023. On August 16, 2024, he took over the responsibilities of the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery from former Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker.
== Personal life == Verma is married and has three children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gowen |first=Annie |date=2023-04-09 |title=For a new American ambassador, India is a kind of homecoming |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/for-a-new-american-envoy-india-is-a-homecoming/2015/05/27/5adc1fe0-f98e-11e4-a47c-e56f4db884ed_story.html |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the State Department's [[Distinguished Service Medal]], the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] International Affairs Fellowship, and the Chief Justice John Marshall Lifetime Service Award. He was named by India Abroad magazine as one of the fifty most influential Indian-Americans in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www2.lehigh.edu/news/a-new-us-ambassador-to-india|title=A new U.S. ambassador to India|website=Lehigh University|language=en|access-date=2019-07-23}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Richard Verma}} *{{C-SPAN|1030119}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Matthew A. Reynolds|Matthew Reynolds]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs]]||years=2009–2011}} {{s-aft|after=[[Joseph Macmanus]]<br>{{small|Acting}}}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Brian P. McKeon]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources]]|years=2023–2025}} {{s-aft|after=[[Michael Rigas]]}} |- {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[Kathleen Stephens]]<br>{{small|Acting}}}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to India]]|years=2015–2017}} {{s-aft|after=[[Kenneth I. Juster]]}} {{s-end}}
{{US Ambassador to India}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Verma, Richard}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to India]] [[Category:American military personnel of Asian descent]] [[Category:American politicians of Indian descent]] [[Category:Biden administration personnel]] [[Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni]] [[Category:Lehigh University alumni]] [[Category:Military personnel from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Obama administration personnel]] [[Category:United States Air Force officers]] [[Category:United States assistant secretaries of state]] [[Category:United States deputy secretaries of state]] [[Category:American University Washington College of Law alumni]] [[Category:American people of Punjabi descent]]