Saturday, January 7 2006 18:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: In an effort to strengthen trade and business ties between India and New York, the Governor of the US state has appointed Indian-American businessman and community leader, Andy Keshav Shenoy, as his special adviser for South Asian Affairs.

Shenoy is the first Indian-American to hold such a high-ranking position in the state administration and it shows the growing influence of the community in the political life of the United States.

New York Governor George Pataki is expected to visit India sometime in February or March, and Shenoy said the Governor is expected to have high-level meetings in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to discuss the strengthening of ties and seek investments in New York.

Thanking Pataki for encouraging the Indian-American community, Shenoy pledged to do his best to forge closer ties between India and the New York State.

Shenoy, who immigrated to the United States in 1990 from Mumbai, is a major player in diamonds and diamond jewellery, and has been politically active for about two decades.

He is also the President of Indo-American Promotion,a non profit group seeking strengthening of economic ties between India and New York.