DIPLOMAT OF THE WEEK

RICHARD RAHUL VERMA:
Richard was born November 27, 1968; a prominent American diplomat, lawyer, veteran, and business executive whose career bridges public service, foreign policy and the private sector. As one of the highest-ranking Indian-American Officials in U.S. diplomacy, he has played a pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-India relations and advancing American interests abroad.

EARLY LIFE  & EDUCATION 
Verma was born in Edmonton, Canada, to Punjabi Indian immigrant parents who fled through the Partition of India. His family moved to the United States, and he grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the youngest of five children. His father was an English professor, and his mother a special education teacher.
He earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University (where he was an ROTC cadet, fraternity member, and senior class president), a J.D. (cum laude) from American University Washington College of Law, an LL.M. (with distinction) in International Law from Georgetown University. His diverse academic background in engineering, law and international affairs equipped him for a multifaceted career.

LATER CAREER
After his ambassadorship, Verma served as vice chair at The Asia Group - focusing on South Asia, Chief Legal Officer and head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard (2020-2023), and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources (2023-2025) under President Biden - acting essentially as the State Department’s Chief Operating Officer for modernization, foreign assistance, and operations.
He has also been a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center, a Member of various advisory boards (including the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board), and a corporate board member - T. Rowe Price. In 2025, he became Lehigh University’s Inaugural President’s Distinguished Fellow.

LEGACY & IMPACT
Richard exemplifies the modern diplomat: a bridge-builder who combines strategic vision, legislative savvy, legal expertise, and private-sector insight. His work has strengthened U.S. alliances in Asia, promoted multilateral cooperation, and highlighted the contributions of immigrant communities to American diplomacy. He is married with three children and has received numerous honors including the State Department’s Distinguished Service Award.
Richard Verma’s trajectory - from Air Force officer to ambassador and senior executive - illustrates how expertise across military, governmental, and business spheres can drive effective 21st-century diplomacy, particularly in an era of rising Indo-Pacific importance.

~Dhabby

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