Indian American appointed Virginia Treasurer

An Indian American, with roots in Maharashtra, has been appointed to the key post of Treasurer of the American state of Virginia.

Manju Ganeriwala, currently deputy secretary of finance, has been appointed state treasurer effective January 1 by Virginia Governor Timothy M Kaine.

"Manju Ganeriwala brings a proven record for financial analysis and management that is in keeping with the high standards that Virginia holds as one of the best-managed states in the nation," Kaine was quoted as saying by Indiawest online.

As state treasurer, Ganeriwala, who would succeed retiring treasurer J Braxton Powell, will chair the Treasury Board of Virginia, which has oversight for between $8 billion and $10 billion of investments and all debt management of the Commonwealth.

This is the second major appointment of an Indian American in Kaine's administration after Aneesh Chopra, who was made the technology secretary in his cabinet at the beginning of his administration in 2006.

Born in Akola, Maharashtra, Ganeriwala told the website that similar to many states in the US, Virginia "is suffering what the national economy" is suffering, a "sluggish economy for the last 12 months or more".

Some other Indian Americans in Kaine's administration include Gopinath R Jadhav, a consulting gastroenterologist from Richmond to the board of directors of the Small Business Financing Authority and Kanshana K Thamodaran, a marketing executive in Virginia Beach to the board of commissioners of the Virginia Public School Authority.