Indian-American AI Expert Sriram Krishnan Faces Racist Attacks After White House Appointment

The Indian diaspora has strongly condemned the recent wave of racist attacks against Sriram Krishnan, an accomplished technologist and entrepreneur who was recently appointed as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence by US President-elect Donald Trump. The backlash against Krishnan’s Indian origin has sparked widespread criticism, with influential voices rallying in his support.

Diaspora’s Strong Response in Support of Sriram Krishnan

In a media advisory, the Indian diaspora issued a firm denunciation of the racist remarks targeting Krishnan. The statement read:
“Sriram Krishnan, who was recently appointed by President-elect Trump as his Senior AI Advisor, has become a target of reprehensible racist attacks. There is absolutely no place in our public discourse for spiteful, vengeful, racially motivated, ad hominem epithets.”

The advisory also expressed unwavering support for Krishnan’s appointment, highlighting confidence in his ability to contribute significantly to American policy-making. “At Indiaspora, we categorically and unequivocally denounce racism of any and all kinds. As enunciated in our media statement issued a few days ago, we strongly support Sriram’s appointment to this important position because we are confident that he will serve America very well in public office,” it added.

Support from Congressman Ro Khanna

Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna also stepped forward to defend Krishnan. Addressing criticisms about Krishnan’s Indian origin, Khanna underscored the importance of America’s openness to global talent, which he described as a hallmark of the nation’s exceptionalism.

In response to a social media post questioning Krishnan’s qualifications and background, Khanna wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“You fools criticizing @sriramk as Indian born criticize Musk as South African born or Jensen as Taiwanese born.”

Khanna further emphasized: “It is great that talent around the world wants to come here, not to China, and that Sriram can rise to the highest levels. It’s called American exceptionalism.”

Trump’s Announcement and Sriram Krishnan’s Reaction

President-elect Donald Trump officially announced Krishnan’s appointment on the Truth Social platform, stating:
“Sriram Krishnan will serve as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.”

Trump highlighted Krishnan’s role in shaping and coordinating AI policy across the government. He noted Krishnan’s extensive experience, including his contributions to Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure. Trump added: “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in AI and help shape and coordinate AI policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.”

Acknowledging his new role, Krishnan expressed gratitude:
“I’m honoured to be able to serve our country and ensure continued American leadership in AI working closely with @DavidSacks. Thank you @realDonaldTrump for this opportunity.”

Krishnan’s Accomplished Background

At 41, Sriram Krishnan brings an impressive portfolio to his new position. Until recently, he was a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and has been a personal investor in over two dozen companies, including SpaceX, Figma, and Scale.ai. His professional journey includes leadership roles at Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Microsoft.

Krishnan holds a Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology from SRM Engineering College, Anna University. His significant contributions to the tech industry have earned him recognition as a forward-thinking leader in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.