'Karan Bhatia is Bush administration's rising star'

President George W Bush has announced that he plans to nominate Karan K Bhatia as the Deputy US Trade Representative with ambassadorial rank.

Bhatia succeeds Josette Shiner, who was recently confirmed by the US Senate as the new Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. Bhatia is currently Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs.

If Bhatia is confirmed by the full Senate, after being okayed by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, he will become the highest ranking Indian American ever to serve in the US government bureaucracy, since his will be a sub-cabinet level position. The nomination process will likely be taken up later this month or early October.

Lauding Bhatia's nomination, US Trade Representative Ambassador Roh Portman predicted that "Karan Bhatia will bring to USTR a rich background in the government, the private sector and academia."

Administration and Congressional sources told rediff.com that Bhatia's confirmation is expected to be a formality because he is considered one of the administration's "whiz-kids (he is in his late-30s)and "one of its rising stars."

During his stint, the Princeton, London School of Economics and Columbia Law School-alum was responsible for not only pushing for and negotiating successfully the Open Skies agreement with India but also with several other countries and one of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta's closest aides.

In his position as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs to which he was nominated by President Bush in September 2003 and confirmed by the Senate shortly thereafter, Bhatia was the key policy adviser to Mineta on a wide range of domestic and international aviation matters.

As Assistant Secretary, supervising the Office of Aviation and International Affairs, the licensing of American and foreign airlines, was among Bhatia's realm of responsibilities as was the formulating of US aviation policy. He was with the Department of Commerce for three years before that, rising to Deputy Under Secretary for Industry and Security.

Portman said, "His proven skills in negotiating agreements around the world will be crucial in advancing the President's trade agenda to help open foreign markets to US exports and level the playing field."

Before joining the Bush Administration, 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, defence and aerospace practice areas.