Vinai K. Thummalapally
United States Ambassador to Belize
In office
July 28, 2009 – August 12, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byRobert J. Dieter
Succeeded byCarlos R. Moreno
Personal details
Born1954 (age 69–70)
EducationCalifornia State University
University of Tennessee

Vinai K. Thummalapally (born 1954) was the U.S. Ambassador to Belize. He is the first Indian American ambassador in U.S. history.[1]

Early life

Thummalapally is the son of T. Dharma Reddy, a retired scientist who worked for Andhra Pradesh Forensic Sciences Laboratory, and T. Padmaja.

He came to America in 1974, and attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he spent a summer as Barack Obama's roommate.[2][3]

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador Thummalapally was CEO of MAM-A Inc (formerly known as Mitsui Advanced Media). He has two patents in optical disc manufacturing design. Thummalapally has a B.S. degree from California State University and took graduate classes in business administration from both CSU and the University of Tennessee.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Vinai K. Thummalapally - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
  2. ^ Noel Brinkerhoff (August 10, 2009). "Ambassador to Belize: Who is Vinai Thummalapally?". AllGov.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  3. ^ http://www.amritt.com/india-business-guide/barack-obama-vinai-thummalapally-india/ Vinai and ""Barry" as Obama was known would often get together with other college friends watching basketball games, discussing foreign politics and eating South Indian food cooked by Thummalapally and a cousin. In the summer of 1980, the two friends became college roommates.
  4. ^ U.S. State Department bio of Thummalapally

External links

Diplomatic posts Preceded byRobert J. Dieter United States Ambassador to Belize July 30, 2009 – August 12, 2013 Succeeded byCarlos R. Moreno
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