JOIN US"I was actually very overwhelmed with the response in India... I really have to say it was really very special for me as somebody of Indian heritage," Pandith told the State Department.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had last week appointed Pandith for this first-of-its-kind position in the US government as part of President Barack Obama's effort to start a new beginning with the Muslim world and improve America's image among Islamic countries.
At her maiden press conference after being appointed for the post, Pandith said: "I was born in India and grew up in Massachusetts."
India has the world's second largest Muslim population.
Having done all her education in Massachusetts, she went to Milton Academy, Smith College and then to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
"I have had experience working in both the public and private sector. I was vice president of international business for a company outside Boston and had a chance to really think about the international marketplace, so to speak, from a lot of different perspectives," she said.
Since 2003, Pandith has worked in three different parts of the US government.
"I was in the US Agency for International Development. I was at the National Security Council at the White House. For the last two years, I have been at the Department of State working in the Europe Bureau," she said, adding that in this role she had an opportunity to engage with US embassies with Muslims across Western Europe for two years.
Replying to a question, Pandith said as of now, she has no plans to travel to India along with the Secretary of State later this month. "I actually - no, I have no plan right now."
On the job for less than a week, Pandith said: "I have to consult with my colleagues at the Department to figure out the first few steps."