Kash Patel is new FBI director. His connection to India, explained

The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Patel was confirmed by a 51-49 vote. Two moderate Republican senators, Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, sided with all Democrats in opposing his appointment. However, their votes were not enough to counter the strong Republican backing for Patel.

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With this confirmation, Patel becomes the first Hindu and Indian-American to lead the FBI.

As he takes charge, Trump-backed officials aim to shape the FBI and its parent body, the Justice Department, in line with their vision. This includes challenging long-standing traditions of independence and shifting the agency’s focus towards Trump’s key priorities.

But what is Patel’s connection to India, and how did he rise to the position of FBI Director?

Let’s take a look:

Kash Patel’s India connection

Patel was born on February 25, 1980, in Garden City, New York, to Gujarati parents.

He graduated from the University of Richmond before earning a Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law.

Beginning his career as a lawyer, Patel handled a variety of complex cases, including murder, drug trafficking, and financial crimes.

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Although born and raised in the US, Patel has often spoken about his Indian heritage and how it has influenced his values and professional journey.

While he has ancestral ties to India, his career has largely focused on US national security, intelligence, and law enforcement.

The 45-year-old lawyer of Indian origin has held several key roles, including deputy assistant to the President and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council (NSC).

During his Senate confirmation, Patel was accompanied by his family - his parents, sister, and girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins .

When Patel went viral for saying ‘Jai Shri Krishna’

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel greeted his parents with “Jai Shri Krishna” after introducing them.

A viral video showed the Indian-origin lawyer bowing down to touch his parents’ feet before the proceedings began.

Patel expressed his gratitude to his family for making the journey from India to attend his hearing.

“I like to welcome my father and my mother Anjana who are sitting here today. They travelled to get here from India. My sister is also here. She also travelled the oceans just to be with me here today. It means the world that you guys are here. Jai Shri Krishna,” he said.

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All you need to know about Kash Patel: Explained in 10 points

1. A Trump ally who was once a critic of the agency he is set to lead, Patel will take charge of an FBI facing internal turmoil. In the past month, the Justice Department has ousted several senior bureau officials and made an unusual request for the names of thousands of agents involved in investigations linked to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

2. Patel has expressed his intention to introduce sweeping reforms at the FBI, including scaling down its presence in Washington and refocusing on the bureau’s core crime-fighting responsibilities.

3. However, he has also echoed Trump’s calls for retribution, raising concerns among Democrats. Before his nomination, he warned that he would “come after” anti-Trump “conspirators” within the federal government and the media.

4. In November, Patel was selected to replace Christopher Wray , who had led the FBI for over seven years before Trump dismissed him over alleged disloyalty.

5. Notably, Patel had previously criticised the FBI’s investigations into the former president and accused the Justice Department of mistreating the January 6 rioters.

6. While attending Trump’s latest criminal trial in New York alongside a small group of supporters, Patel told reporters that the former president had been subjected to an “unconstitutional circus.”

7. In a podcast interview last year, Patel stated that if he were in charge, he would “shut down” the FBI headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington and reopen it as a “museum of the ‘deep state.’” He added, “And I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to go chase down criminals. Go be cops.”

8. As per his Department of Defense profile, Patel completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond before returning to New York to obtain his law degree. He also earned a certificate in International Law from the University College London Faculty of Laws in the United Kingdom.

9. He first caught Trump’s attention during the former president’s initial term when, as a staffer on the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, Patel played a key role in drafting a memo about surveillance-related errors in the FBI’s investigation into links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign.

10. Patel has vowed to expand the FBI’s focus on tackling illegal immigration and violent crime, aligning with Trump’s priorities, by “letting good cops be cops.” He has also stated that he plans to reduce investigative operations at the FBI’s Washington headquarters, which currently handles counterintelligence, national security, and public corruption cases.

With inputs from agencies