Envoy Shefali Razdan Duggal applauded for representing US' diversity in Netherlands

When she became Ambassador, it was a moment of joy for the United States, India, and the Indian diaspora, said Reshma Saujani, an American lawyer, politician, civil servant, and the founder of the nonprofit organisation Girls Who Code.Proactively visiting the Indian Embassy as she represents the United States as Ambassador is in perfect alignment with who she is overall, showing great respect to both countries, she said.Shefali is also hosting an event at the Ambassadorial Residence to celebrate the connection between India, Martin Luther King, and the American Civil Rights movement.

Indian-American Shefali Razdan Duggal, America's Ambassador to the Netherlands, has been applauded by eminent community members for carrying her heritage to faraway places and celebrating US' diversity as a diplomat.

Often called “trailblazer” by many, Razdan Duggal is the first ever Kashmiri-American to be appointed as a US Ambassador.

The 51-year-old diplomat this week posted on Twitter a picture of her at the residence of India’s Ambassador to The Netherlands, Reenat Sandhu. “We truly enjoyed discussing our shared priorities and responsibilities as representatives of the two largest democracies in the world,” she said in a tweet.

“Appreciate your warm gesture, reflecting the strong partnership and strength of diversity in our democracies. Look forward to working with you,” Sandhu said in response on the micro-blogging site. The tweets along with the accompanying pictures of the meeting between the two top women diplomats in faraway The Netherlands has now resulted in an outpouring of reactions from the Indian-American community.

On Thursday, Razdan Duggal hosted an event at the US Embassy premises to celebrate the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti and honour American Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr.

“Shefali has always been dedicated to the aspirations of the United States and deeply loves our country. And at the same time, she has always stayed very close to her Indian roots. When she became Ambassador, it was a moment of joy for the United States, India, and the Indian diaspora,” said Reshma Saujani, an American lawyer, politician, civil servant, and the founder of the nonprofit organisation Girls Who Code.

“Proactively visiting the Indian Embassy as she represents the United States as Ambassador is in perfect alignment with who she is overall, showing great respect to both countries,” she said.

Shefali is also hosting an event at the Ambassadorial Residence to celebrate the connection between India, Martin Luther King, and the American Civil Rights movement. “She is showing great respect to both cultures. The Embassy is being exposed to a new kind of Ambassador and it makes all of us very proud,” Saujani said.

Sri Preston Kulkarni, who is currently Chief of External Affairs for AmeriCorps, said the Indian-American community is proud of her.

“America's greatest strength is our diversity, and it is deeply meaningful to see the cultures faiths and languages of India represented as part of American culture, not only in India and the US but all over the world,” he said.

“As a longtime personal friend of Shefali, I can say that I have always seen her bringing communities together through her empathy, understanding and hospitality. She represents the best version of America that Martin Luther King fought for. So, it is only fitting that she is now opening her home to bring together the Dutch, Indian and American communities for this historic event,” Kulkarni said.

This visit reflects the identities that Indian-Americans carry with them, said Nick Rathod, who served as Special Assistant and Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs under former president Barack Obama.

“On the one hand we are very proud of our rich Indian heritage and culture while at the same time deeply grateful to be an American and appreciative of all of the opportunities this country has given us,” he said.

“I know the Ambassador especially lives by these values and it is a historic and proud moment for all of us to see her represent both our country and our heritage in this way on the world stage,'' Rathod said.

“It is wonderful to see the meeting between US Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal and Ambassador of India to the Netherlands Reenat Sandhu representing the two largest democracies in the world and expanding and deepening the relationships and ties between the two Great Nations,” said Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who is on President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

“Shefali Razdan Duggal’s appointment as Ambassador of the US to the Netherlands by President Biden is a matter of Pride and inspiration for all Indo-Americans,” Bhutoria said.

“Shefali is a trailblazer in many ways. She is someone who has been a pioneer in the community for almost two decades,” said Raj Goyle, co-founder of IMPACT, the largest Indian American political action committee. He praised Razdan Duggal for hosting the event of Martin Luther King Jr at the Embassy premises.

“I have known Shefali for nearly two decades and am not surprised to see her become the first Indo-American Kashmiri pandit to receive the honor of occupying the highest seat of US Ambassadorship to the Netherlands,” said Jeevan Zutshi, founder of Indo-American Community Federation and chairman of Kashmir Task Force.

“She has all that it takes to reach heights: perseverance, intelligence, goodwill, compassion and love for service,” Zutshi said. Razdan Duggal was born in Haridwar and moved with her family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of two. Thereafter she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of five, where she grew up. She graduated from Miami University and earned her master’s from New York University.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)