Judge Sri Srinivasan becomes first Indian-American to lead powerful federal circuit court
February 19, 2020 09:40
Sri Srinivasan, a prominent Indian-American judge, has created history by becoming the first person of South Asian descent to lead a powerful federal circuit court considered next only to the US Supreme Court. Srinivasan, 52, became the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
An Obama appointee who has already been considered for a Supreme Court seat twice, donned the mantle of the chief judge of the DC federal court circuit on February 12. Srinivasan succeeded Judge Merrick Garland, who has been a member of the DC Circuit since 1997 and Chief Judge since 2013.
He will remain on the bench, a press release said. Notably, Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court by the then president Barack Obama was blocked by Senate Republicans in 2016. Srinivasan, was appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in May 2013.
He was the first ever Indian-American to be appointed to the second most powerful court of the US. Neomi Rao, nominated by President Donald Trump, is the second Indian American on this powerful judiciary bench. "History being made on the DC Court of Appeals. Congratulations, Judge Srinivasan!' Senator Mark Warner said.
"Congratulations to Judge Sri Srinivasan on becoming the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit! A milestone for the Indian-American/Kansan community (and yet another piece of evidence my family can use that I'm underachieving),' US Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai said.
According to The Washington Post, Srinivasan spoke recently about his path to the bench at an event celebrating women in the law, a field where men still dominate leadership positions. -- PTI
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