Vivek Ramaswamy, an American entrepreneur and Republican politician of Tamil Brahmin heritage, has been appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump to co-head a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
Photograph: Gage Skidmore
Vivek Ramaswamy, an American entrepreneur and Republican politician of Tamil heritage, has been appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump to co-head a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
The department, created to streamline US government operations and reduce bureaucratic overhead, will be jointly led by Ramaswamy and tech magnate Elon Musk.
Ramaswamy’s nomination marks a step forward in Trump’s ambition to “slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” according to a statement from the president-elect.
At the age of 39, Ramaswamy is recognized as one of the youngest prominent figures in American conservative politics. He was born to Tamil Brahmin immigrants in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents, V G Ramaswamy and Geetha Ramaswamy, moved from Kerala to the US.
A reportedly fluent Tamil speaker, Ramaswamy attended Harvard University, where he graduated with a degree in biology, before earning his JD from Yale Law School.
Ramaswamy rose to prominence as the founder and CEO of Roivant Sciences, a biotech firm aimed at transforming drug development. Following his success in business, Ramaswamy expanded his presence in the public sphere, focusing on critiques of corporate culture and “woke” ideology.
His political journey gained momentum during the 2024 Republican primaries, where he ran for the nomination to become president of the US. Ramaswamy positioned himself as a non-traditional conservative voice though later aligned with Donald Trump.
"This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!" said Musk, as Trump made the announcement.
“I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans,” declared Trump.
