Indian American Navy Veteran Shanti Sethi To Be Kamala Harris' Defence Adviser

Kamala Harris and Shanti Sethi. 

(Image: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

Shanti Sethi, an Indian American Navy veteran of the United States, has reportedly joined Vice President Kamala Harris' office to work as her executive secretary and defence adviser.

"Navy Captain SHANTI SETHI recently joined Vice President Harris’ office as executive secretary and defense advisor. Senior advisor HERBIE ZISKEND confirmed Sethi, the first Indian American commander of a major U.S. Navy combat ship, has been detailed to the vice president’s office," Politico reported.

Who is Shanti Sethi?

It was during the early 1960s when Sethi's father immigrated to the US from India.

She graduated from Norwich University in 1993 (which is when she also joined the Navy) with a degree in International Affairs, and also holds a Masters of International Policy and Practice from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

Sethi is the first Indian American commander of a major US Navy combat ship, and according to her LinkedIn profile, in her new role, she will coordinate National Security Adviser documentation across the Office of the Vice President.

She commanded the USS Decatur, a guided-missile destroyer, from December 2010 to May 2012.

Notably, she is also the first female commander of a US naval vessel to visit India.

(With inputs from PTI and Politico.)