Ajit Pai | |
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Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
In office January 23, 2017 – January 20, 2021 | |
President | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Tom Wheeler |
Succeeded by | Jessica Rosenworcel |
Member of the Federal Communications Commission | |
In office May 14, 2012 – January 20, 2021 | |
President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Meredith Attwell Baker |
Succeeded by | Vacant |
Personal details | |
Born | Ajit Varadaraj Pai January 10, 1973 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Janine Van Lancker (m. 2010) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Harvard University (AB) University of Chicago (JD) |
Ajit Varadaraj Pai (born January 10, 1973) is an American attorney. He served as the Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2017 to 2021. He is the first Indian American to hold the office.
Pai was born in Buffalo, New York. He was raised in Parsons, Kansas. Pai studied at Harvard University and at the University of Chicago.
He has served in various positions at the FCC since being appointed to the commission by President Barack Obama in May 2012, at the recommendation of Mitch McConnell. He was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate on May 7, 2012, and was sworn in on May 14, 2012, for a five-year term.[1]
In January 2017, President Donald Trump named Pai as Chairman of the agency.[2][3]
In March 2017, Trump announced that he would renominate Pai to serve another five-year term at the FCC, which will require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.[4] Before his appointment to the FCC, Pai held positions with the Department of Justice, the United States Senate, the FCC's Office of General Counsel, and Verizon Communications.
On May 18, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission took the first formal step toward dismantling the net neutrality rules.[5]
Pai was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for an extra five-year term as FCC Chairman on October 2, 2017.[6]
He became well known in 2017 in his criticism and attempt to end the Obama-era policy net neutrality. It received wide criticism.
On November 30, 2020, Pai announced his plans to leave the FCC.[7] He resigned from his post as FCC Chairman on January 20, the day that Joe Biden was inaugurated as President of the United States.
Pai lives in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife Janine Van Lancker, daughter Annabelle Malathi Pai, and son Alexander Madhav Pai.