Another Gujarati on board Obama's team

SEATTLE: Dr Vijay Mehta, a practising surgeon in Texas, US, is very happy his son did not listen to him. If his son had listened, he would have been yet another doctor of Indian origin in US. Instead, Parag Mehta, 31, is today part of a team of advisors to the most powerful man in the world ��� US president-elect Barack Obama.

Parag has been named as deputy director of inter-governmental affairs and public liaison of Obama���s transition team. He was also promoted from external communications for Democratic National Committee (DNC) to national training director of DNC recently.

Apart from the general reluctance of NRGs to see their children in politics, the doctor pedigree was all there.
While Mehta Sr passed out of Jamnagar Medical College, his mother Vinoo Mehta, too is a doctor, having taken her degree from KEM Medical College, Mumbai. Interestingly, the family has come to Gujarat only twice since they migrated to US in 1972.

The proud father says, ���Both of us wanted him to become a doctor, given the tradition in the family. But, Parag was always interested in politics and charted his own path.��� He adds, ���Parag has proved me wrong for having opposed his decision to join politics. In fact, his appointment is a great awakening for Indians, especially Gujaratis, who discourage their children from following their own dream.���

Parag���s appointment follows close on the heels of the appointments of two other Gujaratis ��� Sonal Shah, who was named as member of the 15-member official transition board and Nick Rathod, who was named director of the transition team���s office of inter-governmental affairs.

Parag���s elder sister Ami Buddin is a nurse in Pensacola, Florida while younger brother Chirag is a student in Temple, Texas.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.com