Kumar Barve sworn in Maryland Public Service Commissioner
Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Jun, 2023 10:38 AM
New York, June 5 (IANS) Kumar P. Barve, the first Indian-American elected to a state legislature in the US, has officially been sworn in as a member of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
A resident of Rockville, Barve is expected to take his seat on the bench in the next week, and was named by Governor Wes Moore to succeed Commissioner Patrice M. Bubar, who has served in the post since May 18, 2022.
While choosing him for the position last month, Governor Moore has said Barve is a "veteran of the Maryland House of Delegates and his leadership within the Environment and Transportation Committee makes him the ideal candidate for this role".
Moore had further said that he is confident in Barve's ability to bolster his administration's commitment to environmental stewardship while ensuring rate payers are protected.
Prior to his appointment, Barve had served in the Maryland House of Delegates since 1991, holding leadership roles including Chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and Chair of the Montgomery County House delegation.
While in the General Assembly he worked on issues including environmental regulation, energy generation and conservation, and greenhouse gas reduction.
A graduate of Paint Branch High School in Silver Spring, Barve received a B.S. in Accounting from Georgetown University.
In 2017, he was awarded the League of Conservation Voters Legislator of the Year.He also received India Abroad Lifetime Service Award in 2013, followed by Tech Council of Maryland Technology Advocate of the Year in 2008 and 2006.
Seen as a "natural fit" for the task force, Bendapudi, who is the president of the Pennsylvania State University, comes with a 30-year career as a leader in higher education and business, a Pennsylvania State University release said.
He secured an MSc in Mathematics at Andhra University in 1941, an M.A. in statistics from Calcutta University in 1943 and a PhD degree at King's College in Cambridge University in 1948. Cambridge University awarded him the prestigious Sc.D. degree in 1965, and he has received 31 Honorary Doctoral degrees from universities in 18 countries.
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Viraj Patel, a second-year doctoral student in the University's School of Communication, was recognised for his "exemplary skill and dedication". Patel has always been heavily involved in public speaking and communication, which became his way of defining himself, according to a University statement.
Pramila Jayapal won her Congressional election bid and became the first Indian-American woman in the House of Representatives in 2017. Before entering the House of Representatives, Jayapal served in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to January 2017. e
In his new role, Verma will be responsible for directing, coordinating, and supervising State Department operations such as foreign assistance. Verma previously served as US Ambassador to India (2015-17) during the Obama Administration, becoming the first person of Indian descent to hold that position.
