Indian-American energy expert appointed to key position in US agriculture department

Washington, February 23

The Biden administration has appointed an Indian-American climate and energy expert, who spent three years deploying solar energy solutions in rural India, to a key position in the agriculture department.

Bidisha Bhattacharyya on Monday was appointed Senior Policy Advisor in the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

She was earlier posted as Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the Centre for American Progress.

Prior to joining American Progress, Bhattacharyya was vice president of Emerging Markets at the impact-investment firm Village Capital, where she led a global team across India, Mexico and East Africa to invest in high-impact startups innovating to solve problems across clean energy deployment and financial inclusion.

She previously spent three years deploying solar energy solutions in rural India with the technology startup Simpa Networks, where she led the end-to-end rollout of a new off-grid solar product line.

Bhattacharyya spent four years on Capitol Hill as Senior Energy and Agriculture Policy Adviser to Senator Al Franken of Minnesota and as Energy and Agriculture Legislative Assistant for Congressman Betty McCollum of Minnesota. PTI