Indian-American appointed to key IT post

The Obama Administration has appointed Indian-American  to a key IT position, making him head of an agency that facilitates the sharing and access of terrorism-related information within various wings of the US Government.

Paul, whose parents migrated from Punjab in 1950s, has been appointed as Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment, which now has assumed a major role as the Administration is focused on organising and streamlining the huge terrorism related date available with various agencies and departments of the US Government.

Currently he is the Federal Chief Architect at the Office of Management and Budget. His appointment to this post comes following a recent review by the National Security Staff which identified that PM-ISE must be closely linked to the White House in order to make meaningful progress in developing the ISE.

"Paul will co-chair interagency meetings with the National Security Staff, to better aligning and integrating the office of the PM-ISE with the White House," a Obama Administration official told PTI. The efforts of the PM-ISE will be re-focused on the information technology vision identified in Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

The Act created a Program Manager to oversee that development. Since 2005, the office of the Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment has been engaged in that effort. Paul's top "priorities include not only short-term solutions, such as interoperability of multiple government networks, but also working with the IC, law enforcement, and homeland security communities to develop a long-term strategic vision," the official said.

He brings a wealth of experience in developing and implementing government-wide information technology systems, standards, and architectures. Paul's father, Rameshwar Paul, hails from Amritsar. After completing his education from the Benares Hindu University, he came to the US in 1950s, with just $50 in his pocket, to study MA in library science and education at the University of Michigan. Later he worked for the Government Accountability Office and one of his two sisters also now works for the government.

Paul's wife is also from India. In 2005, he joined the US Department of Justice  where he served as Chief Architect.