New Delhi: In a sudden development, US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell has resigned from her post, days after media speculation that she may be shipped out.
"US Ambassador to India Nancy J Powell announced in a US Mission Town Hall meeting on March 31 that she has submitted her resignation to President Barack Obama and, as planned for some time, will retire to her home in Delaware before the end of May," an announcement in the US Embassy website said tonight.
She is ending a 37-year career that has included postings as US Ambassador to Uganda, Ghana, Pakistan, Nepal and India as well as service in Canada, Togo, Bangladesh, and Washington, where she was most recently Director General of the Foreign Service.
She expressed her appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of the US Mission to India team who have worked to expand the parameters of the US-India bilateral relationship.
She also thanked those throughout India who have extended traditional warm Indian hospitality to her and who have supported stronger bilateral ties.
US Embassy sources did not want to hazard a guess on the decision of the 67-year-old career service officer to quit her post and return home at a time when India is in an election process and Washington is also deeply interested in its outcome.
There was media speculation a week ago that Powell would be replaced with a political appointment as an attempt by the Obama administration to "clean the state" with India.
The report had said Powell had dragged her heels on meeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and was perceived as being "too close" to the UPA's foreign policy establishment.
However, when Washington decided to warm upto Modi, perceived as one of the front runners for the prime minister's post, Powell met Modi on February 13, ending a nine-year-old boycott of the Gujarat leader on the issue of 2002 riots.
The US move marked a u-turn in its earlier stand of having nothing to do with Modi, whose visa it cancelled in 2005 under a domestic law on the issue of "severe violations of religious freedom". Ever since it had refused to review its policy.
(With additional information from PTI)
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