New Delhi: US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel always had a strong belief in public service and civic engagement and while addressing the media from the official podium has given him "surreal" moments, the role also has been "like a good natural fit" as he enjoys working with the press.

Born in Ahmedabad, Vedant Patel moved to the US when he was very young and created history last September by becoming the first Indian-American to hold the daily State Department press conferece. He has been articulating the US viewpoint on some complex international issues and said he is "just really thrilled" to be at the State Department working for Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Vedant Patel recalled the "very special feeling" he had as he tocuhed down in Delhi with Secretary Blinken ahead of G20 Foreign Ministers meeting on March 2.

"I think that is one of the special things about the United States is that the opportunities that it has for people, for immigrants, for people of different backgrounds, the opportunity to do things like speak on behalf of the Administration, speak on behalf of the State Department. Being born in India, it was certainly a very special feeling to touchdown in Delhi with the Secretary of State, coming off of that plane that says the United States of America back to the country that I was born in and getting to come back as an American diplomat with the Secretary. It's a very special feeling," Patel said.

Asked if he ever imagined that he will be part of the State Department addressing the media, Patel said he has done several communications and media relations earlier.

"It's certainly surreal, but I really enjoy working with the press and the media and have done a lot of communications and media relations roles over the course of my career. So it seemed like a good natural fit," he said.

Talking about his journey, Patel said he has ealier worked for US President Joe Biden in the White House as well as on his campaign.

"I was born in Ahemdabad in Gujarat and moved to the United States when I was very young. I've always had a strong belief in public service and civic engagement and being involved. And so my career has taken me through Congress, through working for various US House of Representatives. Right before the State Department, I worked for President Biden in the White House as well as on his campaign. And now I'm just really thrilled to be at the State Department working for Secretary Blinken," he said.

"I moved to Washington DC in about late 2016 after I had been working for a member of Congress at the time and continued working in the government and political field and spent some time working for another member of Congress. And then I joined President Biden's election campaign in the 2020 cycle very early on, and then had the opportunity to join the administration at the White House and spent about the first year-and-a-half of the Biden administration at the White House and then had the opportunity to join the State Department as well," he added.

Answering a query, he talked about the opportunities the United States has for immigrants and people of different backgrounds.

"One of the special things about the United States is that the opportunities that it has for people, for immigrants, for people of different backgrounds, the opportunity to do things like speak on behalf of the administration, speak on behalf of the State Department. Being born in India, it was certainly a very special feeling to touchdown in Delhi with the Secretary of State coming off of that plane that says the United States of America...back to the country that I was born in and getting to come back as an American diplomat with the Secretary. It's a very special feeling," Patel further said.

Patel previously served as an Assistant Press Secretary and Spokesperson for President Biden in The White House. Prior to this he served as a spokesperson on the Presidential Inaugural Committee and the Biden-Harris Transition. Patel also held communications positions on the Biden Campaign both in the primary and general election.

Earlier he had worked as Communications Director to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Communications Director to Congressman Mike Honda. Patel is a graduate of the University of California - Riverside and received a MBA from the University of Florida. He is originally from San Jose, California.