New FBI Director Kash Patel's family hails from Gujarat village
22 Feb 2025

Indian-American Kash Patel has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

He becomes the first person of Indian descent to head the premier US law enforcement agency.

Patel's family hails from Bhadran village in Gujarat's Anand district. They moved to Uganda 70-80 years ago before settling in America.

Patel's family history and early life
Ancestral journey

Patel was born in New York in 1980 after his family moved from Canada to the US.

His family had briefly returned to India after being expelled from Uganda by dictator Idi Amin in 1972. They later moved to Canada and then to the US.

Patel belongs to the Patidar community, and his family's history is recorded in a 'vanshavali' or family tree maintained by Chh Gam Patidar Mandal, an Anand-based organization.

Patel's family history preserved in 'vanshavali'
Family lineage

Rajesh Patel, secretary of the Chh Gam Patidar Mandal, confirmed that although Kash Patel's name isn't there yet, 18 generations of his family are recorded.

"In the 'vanshavali' we have names of Kash Patel's father Pramod Patel and also his brothers and grandfather," Rajesh said.

The family lived in the Moti Khadki area of Bhadran village before migrating to Uganda some 70-80 years ago, he added.

Patel's professional journey and personal interests
Career and hobbies

Before being appointed FBI Director, Patel was Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller. He advised on all issues related to operations at the Department of Defense.

Patel graduated from the University of Richmond and received a law degree from New York with a Certificate in International Law from University College London.

An ice-hockey fanatic, Kash has been playing the sport since he was six.