Lack of representation in powerful positions has alienated people from their fullest potential. Just because they didn’t see themselves (their gender, skin colour, culture, and more) in their leaders, they thought they could never be one. That is why it is so empowering to see a brown/black woman in one of the most influential positions in the world – it changes an age-old institution. Thus, we as a global community should aim to fill all influential political or cultural positions with diversity.

This was Joe Biden’s promise when he was contesting for presidential elections. After he won in November, he did not go back on his words. His cabinet doesn’t lack representation. It is inclusive so that the new administration looks ‘like the country’.

We all know about Kamala Harris who not only became the first-woman to hold the post of an American vice-president but also the first Black American and Asian American to hold the post. Her mother was from Tamil Nadu, India. It was certainly a moment of pride to see someone with such a vibrant identity in such a powerful position.

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However, she is not the only one with an Indian lineage to be a part of Biden’s administration. There are 25 Indian-Americans whom Biden has nominated to be a part of his cabinet. Out of them, 15 hold significant positions in designing policies for the country.

Many firsts are happening this time as Joe Biden is all set to be the President on January 20 – becoming the oldest American President. In his cabinet, Neera Tanden is nominated for the role of the director in the office of Management and Budget. This will also be the first time that the government’s budget will be handled by a woman of colour. She has worked on Democratic campaigns before- she has been an adviser to Bill Clinton and Obama.

Vivek Murthy is also in a key position as he is going to co-chair Biden’s Covid taskforce. He had also been a Surgeon General under Obama. Apart from Tanden and Murthy, other Asian Americans like Rohini Kosoglu, Ali Zaidi, Vedant Patel, Vinay Reddy, and Gautam Raghavan will also hold key positions in the cabinet.

Neha Dhawan, the national director of South Asians for Biden has expressed her delight at the presence of Indian-Americans in Joe Biden’s cabinet. The South Asian community has been a major vote bank for the incoming President. In November, a letter addressed to Joe Biden by the Congressional Asia Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) had urged him to include Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders(AAPI) in his cabinet.

Other Indian-American members include Dr Arun Majumdar, who is a graduate from IIT-Bombay, who will lead the transition team for the Energy Department, and Kiran Ahuja who will be the Team Lead for the office of Personnel Management. Vedant Patel will be the assistant press secretary for the White House. Sabrina Singh was recently appointed as the Deputy White House Press Secretary. Mala Adiga will be the policy director to Jill Biden, the First Lady. There are several other Indian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the administration – that the US has never seen before. Last time, it was only Barack Obama who had made a record by appointing three AAPI cabinet secretaries.

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The diversity in Joe Biden’s cabinet has been very inspiring. Kamala Harris had shared a post in November where she was standing in front of three little girls. Under the post she had written, “To the children of our country; dream with ambition and lead with convection, unburdened by what has been”

These lines subtly prove that the course of history is bound to change. Nothing remains the same. So, as a new century begins, we hope that there is going to be more diversity and representation in all the powerful roles in the world.