Telugu man appointed Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Trade and Development Agency

Vinai Thumalapally was also the first Indian-American to serve as a U.S. Ambassador when he was appointed as the Ambassador to Belize. File (Source: Businessline)

Former diplomat and prominent Telugu in the United States, Vinai Thummalapally, has been appointed as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

The appointment was made by U.S. President Joe Biden. Mr. Thumalapally was the first Indian-American to serve as a U.S. Ambassador when he was appointed as the Ambassador to Belize. He also served as the Executive Director of SelectUSA, a U.S. Department of Commerce initiative that facilitates job-creating business investment into the country, from 2013 to 2017.

Telangana Municipal Administration Minister, K.T. Rama Rao, took to Twitter to congratulate the appointment of Mr. Thummalapally.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao also hailed the appointment stating he was an able administrator and a good friend of his.

Hailing from Hyderabad, Mr. Thummalapally moved to the U.S. in 1974. His father was a scientist. Former U.S. President Barack Obama was with him while pursuing his higher studies in the U.S.

Mr. Thummalapally was appointed the Ambassador to Belize during Mr. Obama’s term.