President Barack Obama has nominated Indian-American Rajiv Shah to head US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The post of Administrator, of the federal agency responsible for all non-military aid by the US, had been kept vacant by the Obama Administration so far. If Congress confirms the nomination of Shah - who at present is the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and Chief Scientist at the US Department of Agriculture - then he would possibly become the highest ranking Indian American in any US Administration.