Who is Veena Reddy? The former US diplomat who got embroiled in USAID $21 million voter turnout controversy

NEW DELHI: Former USAID mission director for India, Veena Reddy, has come under scrutiny after US President Donald Trump questioned a $21 million aid package meant for "boosting voter turnout" in India.
The funding, disclosed by Elon Musk’s department of government efficiency (DOGE), was allegedly allocated by USAID to the Election Commission of India.
The controversy sparked a political clash in India with BJP claiming that Trump’s statement confirmed a foreign attempt to interfere in Indian elections, while the Congress dismissed his remarks as “nonsensical.”
Questions were also raised over Veena Reddy’s role in the matter, questioning her tenure as USAID’s India director. However, there has been no official response from Reddy or USAID regarding the allegations.
Who is Veena Reddy?
Veena Reddy is a former US diplomat and development expert, who served as the mission director for USAID in India and Bhutan. She was the first Indian American to hold this position.
Born in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy had also been in the US foreign service office. She also led USAID’s operations in Cambodia as mission director and served as deputy mission Director in Haiti.
She had worked in Washington, DC, as an assistant general counsel, overseeing legal matters for USAID’s programs in Asia and the Middle East.
Before joining the US government, Reddy was a corporate lawyer, practising in New York, London, and Los Angeles.
She holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Columbia University School of Law and both an MA and BA from the University of Chicago.