Richard Verma offers perspectives on current political landscape

Nearly 100 attendees filled Baker Hall in the Zoellner Arts Center on Tuesday to hear Richard Verma, ‘90, discuss his past experiences in government and viewpoints on the current state of politics in a lecture titled “From South Mountain to the State Department: A Diplomat’s View of Global Challenges and Opportunities.”

Verma is the former United States Ambassador to India and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State of Management and Resources. In January, he was named Lehigh’s Inaugural President’s Distinguished Fellow, returning to his alma mater 35 years after his graduation. 

After being introduced by President Joseph Helble, who facilitated the lecture, Verma reflected on his time on Lehigh’s campus, including the speech he gave as class president at his commencement ceremony. 

He said his undergraduate years unfolded during a transformative period globally, which included the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War and what many called “the end of history” in 1989. 

Verma said it was on South Mountain that he first began to think seriously about leadership, service and the role of the U.S. in a changing world.

While the lecture title insinuates Verma’s journey to the State Department began at Lehigh, he said his path to the department began much earlier in his life.

“The year 1947, my mother was 13 years old, living with her mother in a village in what is today Pakistan,” Verma said. “Soldiers came into her home one night and told her and her mother that they had to be out of their homes by the morning, taking with them whatever they could carry. They would become refugees, traveling hundreds of miles by rail and by foot. A dangerous journey.” 

Verma said his father, the eldest of 10 children, traveled to America from India in 1963 with just $14 and a bus ticket. 

He said his personal success was more than a long shot — it was the quintessential American dream that is still exhibited by many today. 

“No doubt, there is someone arriving at Newark or JFK Airport today with only a few dollars and a bus ticket like my father, with the dream of a better life for their family and with the goal of contributing to the fabric of American society,” he said. 

Verma emphasized the importance of getting involved in one’s local community and traveling as much as possible. 

He said after receiving a phone call from the White House with an offer to be an ambassador, he all of the sudden had to consider moving his family of five across the globe to live in India. 

Verma said he had four days to make this life-changing decision, so he called his dad, and he knew he had to commit to it the moment he heard his father’s positive reaction.

He also said serving as the U.S. ambassador to India and committing to the role was the honor of a lifetime. 

Verma said prior to his move to India, he had the opportunity to meet former President Barack Obama, who reminded him that throughout the entire course of human history, serving in critical roles like this passes in the blink of an eye. 

Verma said Obama also told him it’s important for one to stay true to their values, and the ultimate goal is to make the world a little better for future generations.

He then discussed current political and social issues, including immigration, poverty, trade tariffs and diseases. 

In terms of America’s involvement with China and recent policies surrounding international trade and reciprocal tariff, he said China has had many technological advances in just the past three years. This includes the increased use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, as well as the construction of 400 fighter jets. 

He said technology is a successful tool for advancement if used properly by government officials, but its power to deliberately misinform the public should be considered. 

Regarding the ongoing climate crisis, Verma said the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has been increasing at unprecedented rates, and the levels of carbon in the atmosphere are higher than they have been in the last 800,000 years. 

Verma also addressed some positive developments. In particular, he said the average life expectancy has nearly doubled since 1900, and travel has soared, as more than half of American citizens carry a valid passport — an increase from only 5% owning one in 1990, according to the U.S. Department of State. 

He said the growth in travel has translated to increased amounts of international study, with Pennsylvania ranking sixth in the country for highest rates of international study. 

Throughout his lecture, Verma said there is importance in building connections with one’s surrounding community, and this is particularly important in face of the world’s uncertainty.

“The people-to-people contacts that you make, the friendships and relationships you build, the values you share, this will be the glue that holds us together,” he said. “This is the connective tissue that withstands political disruption and the noise of social media. You actually are practicing foreign policy, whether you realize it or not.”

Referencing a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, Verma said small spaces close to home are where the real battles for social justice take place. 

Following his lecture, the event opened up to questions from attendees, when several asked about the current political climate and what could be done to take action. 

Kyle Nisbet, ‘25, asked Verma about the influence of current political actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration and if policies were reversible. 

“Given what the White House has done over the last couple months, especially with antagonizing our closest allies and NATO,  how much of that truly can be reversed?” Nisbet said.   

Verma said global order and partnerships should not be reliant on a single country, but rather a collective global vote. He said there needs to be a mechanism for peace and security, as these are serious issues at hand. 

Demi Moore, ‘27, said she is one of several students currently working to establish a civic engagement center on campus and asked Verma for his insights.

“What advice would you offer to students who want to enact change during their time at Lehigh?” Moore said. 

In response, Verma said civic engagement means more than just being active in politics; he said it means also being active in any community organization that can cause change. 

“What our democracy is really based on is community-based engagement,” Verma said. “That is what makes our country so unique, so strong.”