Canberra, Dec 4: Indian-origin former MP Dave Sharma was officially sworn in on Monday as a senator for New South Wales (NSW) in the Australian Parliament.
Sharma, 47, defeated former state treasurer Andrew Constance last month to become the first person of Indian-origin from the opposition Liberal party to win the NSW senate position.
The former Australian Ambassador to Israel received applause after swearing his affirmation of allegiance, and was congratulated by his colleagues, The Canberra Times reported.
He was flanked by his NSW moderate faction colleagues, Andrew Bragg and Maria Kovacic, as he took oath for a seat left vacant by former Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
As a career diplomat prior to entering parliament, Dave was also posted to Washington D.C. and Port Moresby, served as a peacekeeper with the Peace Monitoring Group in Bougainville, and headed the international division within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
He studied at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with first-class honours in Law. (IANS)
