Kash Patel, a 44-year-old Indian-American, has been confirmed by the US Senate as the new head of the FBI, marking him as the first Indian-American in this position. Patel’s family hails from Bhadran village in Gujarat, India, and migrated to Uganda 70 to 80 years ago. After the expulsion of Indians from Uganda in the 1970s, Patel’s family briefly returned to India before settling in Canada and then the US. A member of the Patidar community, his family remains connected through a community organization, which maintains a family tree. Patel has a law degree and served as Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense.
Ahmedabad:
Indian-American Kash Patel, recently confirmed by the US Senate to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has roots in Bhadran village located in Gujarat’s Anand district. His family migrated to Uganda approximately 70 to 80 years ago, as indicated by members of his community on Friday.
Patel, who is 44 years old and a native of New York, is the first Indian-American to head the foremost law enforcement agency in the United States.
Community leaders from the Patidar community shared that all of Mr. Patel’s close family members currently reside abroad. They sold their ancestral properties in Bhadran after relocating to Africa.
The Chh Gam Patidar Mandal, an organization representing the community in Anand, keeps a `vanshavali’ (family tree) of its members.
“In the ‘vanshavali’, we have the names of Kash Patel’s father, Pramod Patel, along with those of his brothers and grandfather,” stated Rajesh Patel, the secretary of the organization and a BJP member from Anand district.
Rajesh Patel mentioned to PTI that while Kash Patel’s name has not yet been included in the family tree, the records include entries for 18 generations of his family, which are maintained in their office alongside those of all community members.
“According to our records, the family originally lived in the Moti Khadki area of Bhadran village and migrated to Uganda around 70 to 80 years back,” he informed.
“They sold their ancestral home and land, and all of Kash Patel’s relatives are settled abroad, particularly in the USA. When a family member of Kash Patel returns to India, we will ask for their permission to add the names of the next generation, including his own, to the ‘vanshavali’,” Rajesh Patel explained.
“We haven’t met Kash Patel as the family has not visited Anand in recent years. However, many in our community are familiar with them, as the Patidar community is very close-knit,” he said.
Rajesh Patel recalled that, to his knowledge, the family made a brief return to India following their expulsion from Uganda in the 1970s.
“Indians who were expelled from Uganda returned to India for a short period while they applied for asylum in the UK, US, or Canada. Kash Patel’s family also stopped here briefly before moving to Canada once their applications were approved,” he stated.
From Canada, they transitioned to the US, where Kash Patel was born in 1980, according to Rajesh Patel.
Indians who moved to Uganda were expelled by dictator Idi Amin, who seized control in a military coup in 1971 and ordered the Indian community to vacate the country within 90 days in 1972.
The Chh Gam Patidar Mandal represents the Patidar community from six villages/towns in Anand district: Dharmaj, Nadiad, Sojitra, Bhadran, Vaso, and Karamsad. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of India, originated from Karamsad.
The newly appointed FBI chief served as the former Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, managing the Secretary’s mission at the Department and providing counsel on operational matters, according to a brief biography from the US Department of Defense about Kash Patel.
Kash Patel, a New York native, completed his undergraduate education at the University of Richmond before returning to New York to obtain his law degree, along with a Certificate in International Law from University College London Faculty of Laws in the UK.
A trained lawyer, Kash Patel is also an ice hockey enthusiast and has been playing the sport since the age of six.
“We are Gujarati,” he mentioned in a past interview with PTI in the United States.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)