Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai has been in the spotlight recently, thanks to the net neutrality debate.
He is the first Indian American to hold this office and was appointed to the post by President Donald Trump in January 2017. Prior to this, the Kansas-born Indian American has served in several positions in the FCC since 2012. After attending Harvard University, Pai gained a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago.
After this, Pai, the son of Konkani immigrants Radha and Vardaraj Pai, worked as a clerk at Martin Leach-Cross Feldman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He went on to work in the Antitrust division of the United States Department of Justice in the telecommunications task force.
He also has experience as a deputy chief counsel to the Administrative Oversight and the Courts, an arm of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee. Pai has some experience working in sub-committees of civil rights and property rights. Pai is married to Janine Van Lancker, an allergist at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, and has two children.
Pai has recently been in the news for trying to repeal net neutrality, which was adopted by the Federal Communications Commission under former President Barack Obama. This will lead to broadband providers charging content makers for various services like movies or music at a faster pace. According to Pai, it will help broadband investment in the United States. The final vote on the issue will take place in December.
