New Delhi: High-profile American Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill on April 21 announced his decision to return home to pursue his academic career at Harvard University at the end of a two-year term during which he sought to bring new dimensions in bilateral relations.

The 64-year old professor and a personal friend of President George Bush said in a statement that he was returning to Harvard University's John F Kennedy School of Government near the end of this summer and had informed the President in January of his intention to go back home.

"I will thus join my illustrious colleague, John Kenneth Galbraith, in proudly representing my country for two years as American Ambassador to India and then returning to Harvard to teach and to write," he said in a statement in New Delhi adding the relationship between the two countries has a "glittering future".

Blackwill had succeeded Richard Celeste, another political appointee of former President Bill Clinton, after the inauguration of President Bush in 2001.

The outgoing Ambassador, who had built personal rapport with a number of Indian leaders including Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, said to play a part in advancing the bilateral ties under Bush's direction has been "my duty, my pleasure and my encompassing strategic conviction".

PTI