Washington, November 27 : The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, has placed his trust in Kolkata-born Indian-American scientist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya by appointing him as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition, Jamieson Greer has been selected as the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and Kevin A. Hassett has been appointed as the Director of the White House National Economic Council.
According to a report by The New York Times, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the United States' leading health research and funding institutions. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will head the NIH during Trump's second term. With this appointment, Bhattacharya becomes the first Indian-American to be named to such a high administrative position.
Earlier, President Trump had selected Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a newly created government efficiency department, a voluntary position that does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Trump announced on social media, "I am very pleased to nominate Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, as Director of NIH. Dr. Bhattacharya will work alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to guide the nation's medical research, promote important discoveries that will improve health, and save lives."
In a second post, Trump also praised Kevin A. Hassett, the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council, for his crucial role in passing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. On Tuesday, Trump announced the appointment of lawyer and former official Jamieson Greer as USTR, noting that Greer had previously served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer during Trump's first term.
Jay Bhattacharya's Profile:
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, and later moved to the United States for higher education. In the 1990s, he earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from Stanford University. He then obtained a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and, in 2000, a PhD in Economics. Bhattacharya is currently a Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He is also the Director of the Health and Aging Demographics and Economics Center at Stanford. His research focuses on health, as well as improving care for vulnerable populations. His research papers have been published in prominent journals in economics, law, and health.
