<p>Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan inched closer to scripting history as the first South Asian judge after a key Senate committee confirmed his nomination to the DC Circuit Court, America's second highest.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Described as "trailblazer" by US President Barack Obama, Chandigarh-born Srinivasan's nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was unanimously approved by the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday.<br /><br />He was first nominated to the post by Obama nearly one year ago, and if confirmed, he would fill one of the four vacancies on the DC Circuit.<br /><br />"I am glad we are moving forward with this fine nominee in a bipartisan way," said Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.<br /><br />Srinivasan, 46, now has to be confirmed by the Senate before he becomes the first Indian American to be appointed to the top American court.<br /><br />Srinivasan is currently principal US Deputy Solicitor General and is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.<br /><br />Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, in a statement said he is "pleased" that the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved his appointment to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.<br />Bera hoped that the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will swiftly bring the appointment to the Senate floor for a vote.<br /><br />"Sri is widely regarded as one of the best legal minds in the country, and his breadth of experience makes him extremely well-qualified for the appointment to one of our country's most important courts," he said.<br /><br />"His appointment would also be historic for the Indian American and Asian American community. Representation of Indian Americans within our judicial system is overdue," Bera said.<br /><br />Srinivasan successfully worked for both Republican and Democratic Administrations and has bipartisan support from the legal community.<br /><br />If confirmed, he would become the first Asian American on the DC Circuit and the first Indian American to serve as a federal circuit court judge.<br />DC Circuit Court is America's second highest after the Supreme Court.</p>
<p>Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan inched closer to scripting history as the first South Asian judge after a key Senate committee confirmed his nomination to the DC Circuit Court, America's second highest.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Described as "trailblazer" by US President Barack Obama, Chandigarh-born Srinivasan's nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was unanimously approved by the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday.<br /><br />He was first nominated to the post by Obama nearly one year ago, and if confirmed, he would fill one of the four vacancies on the DC Circuit.<br /><br />"I am glad we are moving forward with this fine nominee in a bipartisan way," said Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.<br /><br />Srinivasan, 46, now has to be confirmed by the Senate before he becomes the first Indian American to be appointed to the top American court.<br /><br />Srinivasan is currently principal US Deputy Solicitor General and is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.<br /><br />Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, in a statement said he is "pleased" that the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved his appointment to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.<br />Bera hoped that the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will swiftly bring the appointment to the Senate floor for a vote.<br /><br />"Sri is widely regarded as one of the best legal minds in the country, and his breadth of experience makes him extremely well-qualified for the appointment to one of our country's most important courts," he said.<br /><br />"His appointment would also be historic for the Indian American and Asian American community. Representation of Indian Americans within our judicial system is overdue," Bera said.<br /><br />Srinivasan successfully worked for both Republican and Democratic Administrations and has bipartisan support from the legal community.<br /><br />If confirmed, he would become the first Asian American on the DC Circuit and the first Indian American to serve as a federal circuit court judge.<br />DC Circuit Court is America's second highest after the Supreme Court.</p>