Veena Reddy, the former India director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), made headlines over alleged $21 million funding to increase voter turnout in India. Reddy came into the limelight when BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani demanded an investigation into the funding and questioned her role. Following criticism, President Donald Trump remarked that the fund might have been used to influence the results of the Lok Sabha elections. Trump stated at a gathering on Wednesday, "I believe they (USAID) were trying to elect someone else. We must inform the Indian government."
Born in Andhra Pradesh, the American diplomat Reddy joined USAID India on August 5, 2021. She announced her return to the U.S. on July 17, 2024.
Before joining the U.S. government as a Foreign Service Officer, Veena Reddy was a corporate attorney in New York, London, and Los Angeles. During her arrival in India, the U.S. embassy announced that Reddy holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Columbia University School of Law and an MA and BA from the University of Chicago.
She also worked for USAID in Pakistan, Central Asian Republics, and Central America. Reddy was a member of the Bar Councils of New York and California.
Funding Increment...
During her tenure, USAID significantly increased funding for Indian projects. In 2022, it surged to over $228 million, approximately 1982 crore INR, the highest since 2001.
Source: aajtak
According to U.S. government data, Indian projects received $83.2 million from USAID in 2020, which increased to $94.3 million in 2021, $228 million in 2022, and slightly dipped to $175.7 million in 2023 and $151.8 million in 2024.
Official figures show that of the total $228 million fund for 2022, USAID India spent $140.7 million (or nearly 50%) on basic health, $25.09 million on maternal and child health, $10.57 million on HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness programs, $7.186 million on general environmental protection, and $5.6 million on energy.
Source: aajtak
According to the U.S. Embassy, Veena Reddy was the first Indian-American to lead USAID in India and Bhutan. Before assuming charge in India, she headed USAID's mission in Cambodia and served as Deputy Mission Head in Haiti. She was the agency's Assistant General Counsel handling legal matters for USAID's programs across Asia, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Reddy also led USAID operations in Bhutan from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, a common setup in several foreign missions.
Veena Reddy’s Contributions
According to the U.S. State Department, during her nearly three-year tenure as Mission Director, she oversaw various projects in health, economic development, education, social services, democracy, human rights, and governance fields.
Among key governmental bodies were the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Power, NITI Aayog, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Power Sector Skill Council, NTPC Green, National Skill Development Corporation, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Atal Innovation Mission that either signed new agreements or implemented USAID-funded programs under Reddy's tenure in New Delhi.
She traveled across several states to promote and oversee programs related to digital payment promotion, health, and education.
As USAID India Mission Director, Reddy participated in several high-level government programs upon invitation from ministries and departments. In November 2023, she was a speaker at World Toilet Day event chaired by the then Urban Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. She told the Minister, "We are proud to work with the ministry. Thank you for inviting USAID." The Minister thanked her for her participation and support in his concluding remarks.
In July 2023, Veena Reddy participated in the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group meeting chaired by India.
