United States President Joe Biden on Thursday, 4 March, congratulated the NASA team behind the successful landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars, and pointed out, with significant gusto, that Indian-Americans are taking over the US and “it is amazing!”
When Dr Swati Mohan, the India-American who landed the Perseverance rover on Mars, thanked Biden for speaking to them, the latter said:
“Are you kidding me? What an honour this is. This is an incredible honour. And it is amazing! Indians - of descent - Americans are taking over the country.[sic.]”US President Joe Biden, as seen in a C-Span video
“You (Mohan), my Vice President (Kamala Harris), my speechwriter (Vinay Reddy) I tell you what. But thank you. You guys are incredible.”
PROMINENT INDIAN-AMERICAN APPOINTMENTS BY BIDEN
As per PTI, US President Joe Biden has created history by appointing at least 55 Indian-Americans to key positions. These 55 do not include Vice President Kamala Harris, as her’s is an elected position.
Further, nearly half of this group of Indian-Americans are women. They include, but are not limited to:
- Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, State Department
- Mala Adiga; Policy Director to Dr Jill Biden
- Aisha Shah: Partnership Manager, White House Office of Digital Strategy
- Sameera Fazili, Deputy Director, US National Economic Council (NEC)
- Sumona Guha: Senior Director for South Asia at the National Security Council, White House
- Sabrina Singh: Deputy Press Secretary, Vice President White House
MORE ABOUT SWATI MOHAN
Dr Mohan was one of the scientists on the historic mission of landing the Perseverance rover on Mars, as the Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GN&C) Operations Lead.
In the seven minutes as the Perseverance rover decelerated from 12,000 to 2mph, helped by a supersonic parachute and landed in a safe spot on Mars, Dr Swati Mohan became the face of the mission to the world.
The landing – and her bindi – both made her new fans take to social media.
Dr Mohan grew up in Washington DC and Virginia, after her parents moved to the US from Bengaluru when she was only a year old.
(With inputs from PTI and C-Span.)
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