Nisha Desai Biswal is an American businesswoman and public official in the United States. Biswal is the president of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) and Senior Vice President for South Asia at the United States Chamber of Commerce. She previously served as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs in the United States Department of State under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Biswal was the first South-Asian American to hold this position. She oversaw the U.S.-India strategic partnership during a period of unprecedented cooperation, including the launch of an annual U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. Biswal was awarded the prestigious Samman Award by the President of India in January 2017. Biswal was also instrumental in launching the US-B