Swati Dandekar Nominated ADB’s Executive Director by Obama

Dandekar and her husband, Arvind (Photo: twitter/@Swati_Dandekar)

Indian-American politician Swati Dandekar has been nominated as Executive Director to Asian Development Bank with ambassadorial rank by US President Barack Obama. The first-ever Indian-American to be elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2003, Dandekar, 64, would replace Robert M Orr, who has held the position since 2010.

Dandekar was the first Indian-born American citizen to win a state legislature seat in the United States. Obama announced his intent to nominate Dandekar to this top US position in Asian Development Bank (ADB) along with other key administration appointments and nominations.

A member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009, Dandekar was also member of the Iowa Senate from 2009 to 2011. Thereafter, she served on the Iowa Utilities Board from 2011 to 2013. From 2000 to 2003, she was a member of the Vision Iowa Board of Directors.

Dandekar, Arvind migrated to the US in 1973, also served on the Linn-Mar Community School District Board of Education from 1996 to 2002 and was a member of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 2000 to 2002. She received a Bachelor of Science from Nagpur University and a Post-Graduate Diploma from Bombay University. Dandekar ran for the US House of Representatives from Iowa’s first Congressional District, but lost in the primaries.

Who is Swati Dandekar?

• Swati A Dandekar, was brought up in Nagpur and went to the JN Tata Parsi School.
  
• She holds a bachelor’s degree from Nagpur University and a postgraduate diploma in dietetics from Bombay University.
  
• She reached Iowa in 1973 and has been there since.
  
• She served on the Iowa Utilities Board from 2011 to 2013.
  
• Prior to joining the Utilities Board, Dandekar served in the Iowa State Senate from 2009 to 2011 and in the Iowa State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008. From 2000 to 2003, she was a member of the Vision Iowa Board of Directors.
  
• Dandekar also served on the Linn-Mar Community School District Board of Education from 1996 to 2002 and was a member of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 2000 to 2002.
  

I am confident that these experienced and hardworking individuals will help us tackle the important challenges facing America, and I am grateful for their service. I look forward to working with them.

<b>Barack Obama, President, USA</b>