Close X
Sunday, December 1, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian-American Ajit Pai May Head U.S. Communication Commission

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Jan, 2017 11:41 AM
    Ajit Pai, a commissioner in the US communications regulatory agency, has met President-elect Donald Trump amid speculation that he could head the body that deals with cellphone spectrum and broadcasting.
     
    Trump's spokesperson Sean Spicer said on Tuesday that the meeting with Pai, who is the Republican nominee on the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), took place on Monday.
     
    Currently the FCC is headed by Tom Wheeler, a nominee of the Democratic Party, and a change in leadership is due with the election of Trump.
     
    The position of FCC chairman has to be approved by the Senate.
     
    The FCC is the federal authority regulating radio, television, phone, cellphone spectrum and services, internet and satellite and cable.
     
    Pai, whose parents are doctors who immigrated from India, is a lawyer and has served with the government, Congress and the private sector.
     
    A free enterprise advocate in the Republican mould, he has been a critic of the functioning of the FCC and has clashed with its leadership. 
     
    Recently, he took issue with an FCC report that questioned the legality of offerings that are used by people to access online music, videos, and other content free of charge.
     
     
    Trump has nominated two Indian-Americans to high-level positions: Nikki Haley as the Cabinet-level Ambassador to the United Nations, and Seema Verma as the head of the agency for government health insurance programmes.
     
    In addition, Trump has appointed Raj Shah as his deputy assistant and research director on the White House staff.
     
    Another Indian American, Balaji Srinivasan, met Trump last week and Spicer said that he was under consideration for a role at the the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
     
    Srinivasan is a technology entrepreneur who has founded a biotech company and has been critical of the links between large pharmaceutical companies and the FDA and the agency's reach that he asserted stifles tech innovations.
     
    He currently heads a start-up that deals with bitcoin, the internet-based currency.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian American Pradeep Gupta Elected As South San Francisco City Mayor

    Indian American Pradeep Gupta Elected As South San Francisco City Mayor
    An Indian-American engineer has been elected as Mayor of South San Francisco city in the US state of California.

    Indian American Pradeep Gupta Elected As South San Francisco City Mayor

    For Girls, Michelle Obama Is An Empowering Example

    For Girls, Michelle Obama Is An Empowering Example
    NEW YORK — Healthy food and plenty of exercise. The challenges military families face. Education for girls around the globe.

    For Girls, Michelle Obama Is An Empowering Example

    Norway Row Over Child: India Ready To Help If Approached By The NRI Couple

    Norway Row Over Child: India Ready To Help If Approached By The NRI Couple
    If approached, India is ready to help the NRI parents of a five-year-old child who has been separated from them by Norwegian authorities who accused them of beating him, a senior official said here on Friday.

    Norway Row Over Child: India Ready To Help If Approached By The NRI Couple

    Indian-origin man faces ID theft, visa fraud charges in US

    Indian-origin man faces ID theft, visa fraud charges in US
    An Indian-origin man faces identity theft and H-1B visa fraud charges, Phillip Talbert, the Eastern California federal prosecutor, said.

    Indian-origin man faces ID theft, visa fraud charges in US

    PICS: Christmas celebrated at Indian embassy in Washington

    PICS: Christmas celebrated at Indian embassy in Washington
    A large number of guests from Christian and other communities joined Christmas celebrations at the Indian Embassy here Thursday.

    PICS: Christmas celebrated at Indian embassy in Washington

    US' $618 Billion Defence Budget Boosts Ties With 'Major Defence Partner' India

    US' $618 Billion Defence Budget Boosts Ties With 'Major Defence Partner' India
    Currently vacationing in Hawaii, President Obama yesterday signed the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017, which asks Defence Secretary and Secretary of State to take steps necessary to recognise India as America's "major defence partner".

    US' $618 Billion Defence Budget Boosts Ties With 'Major Defence Partner' India