Washington, September 14, 2005
Ashok Malhotrta
NRI press
NRI (non-resident Indian) Karan Bhatia of Maryland
appointed Deputy US Trade Representative by US President
George W Bush. This position will be the rank of Ambassador.
Now he is working as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for
Aviation and International Affairs. On Sep. 2003, this
position was was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed
by the Senate shortly thereafter. In this position, he serves
as a key policy advisor to Transportation Secretary Norman Y.
Mineta on a wide range of domestic and international aviation
matters. As Assistant Secretary, Bhatia supervises the Office
of Aviation and International Affairs, with responsibility for
licensing of U.S. and foreign airlines, formulating U.S. international
aviation policy, and the administration of the Department’s
economic policies and programs designed to promote access to,
competition in, and the health of the U.S. aviation system. Bhatia
is also responsible for coordination of Departmental policies
and programs in all modes of international transportation and
trade.
Prior to his appointment, Bhatia had served the U.S. Department
of Commerce as Deputy Under Secretary for Industry and Security
since June 2002. In this position, he was involved in all
aspects of management and policymaking at the Bureau of Industry
and Security, which handles issues at the intersection of industry
and national security. He had previously served Commerce as Chief
Counsel for Export Administration since July 2001.
Before joining the government, Bhatia was a partner in the Washington
law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, where he was a member
of the firm’s international and corporate groups and the
administrative partner for its international aviation, defense
and aerospace area.
Bhatia received a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University,
a master’s from the London School of Economics and a law
degree from Columbia University. Following his graduation from
law school, Bhatia clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Milton
Pollack in the southern district of New York. He has been an adjunct
professor at Georgetown University Law Center, and is a term member
of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is married and has two
children.
