Farah Pandith overwhelmed with response from India

Lalit K Jha
Washington, July 2 (PTI) Kashmir-born Farah Pandith,
who was recently appointed as the Special US Representative to
Muslim world by the Obama administration, has said that she is
overwhelmed with the response from India over her new job.

"I was actually very overwhelmed with the response in
India... I really have to say it was really very special for
me as somebody of Indian heritage," Pandith told the State
Department Wednesday.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had last week
appointed Pandith for this first-of-its-kind position in the
US government as part of President Barack Obama's effort to
start a new beginning with the Muslim world and improve
America's image among Islamic countries.

At her maiden press conference after being appointed
for the post, Pandith said: "I was born in India and grew up
in Massachusetts."

India has the world's second largest Muslim
population.

Having done all her education in Massachusetts, she
went to Milton Academy, Smith College and then to the Fletcher
School of Law and Diplomacy.

"I have had experience working in both the public and
private sector. I was vice president of international business
for a company outside Boston and had a chance to really think
about the international marketplace, so to speak, from a lot
of different perspectives," she said.

Since 2003, Pandith has worked in three different parts
of the US government.

"I was in the US Agency for International Development. I
was at the National Security Council at the White House. For
the last two years, I have been at the Department of State
working in the Europe Bureau," she said, adding that in this
role she had an opportunity to engage with US embassies with
Muslims across Western Europe for two years.

Replying to a question, Pandith said as of now, she has
no plans to travel to India along with the Secretary of State
later this month. "I actually - no, I have no plan right now."

On the job for less than a week, Pandith said: "I have to
consult with my colleagues at the Department to figure out
the first few steps." PTI