UNITED STATES, April 24, 2015 (Focus News): American Vivek Murthy took the oath as US’s youngest surgeon-general on the Bhagavad Gita. He also invoked the Indian roots of his success in the United States. “By any reasonable measure, I shouldn’t be standing here. My father is the son of a farmer in rural India. He was supposed to have been a farmer, as was I,” Vivek Murthy recalled to supporters gathered at Fort Myer military base after he was administered oath on Wednesday by vice president Joe Biden. Murthy is the 19th surgeon general of the United States, America’s doctor-in-chief. As such, he holds the rank of Vice-Admiral (3-star admiral) in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and can wear the same uniform as US Navy admirals. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivek_Murthy for his photo in uniform.
He thanked everyone who helped him become America’s youngest surgeon-general at 37. He said, “I am who I am because of my grandmother’s faith, my father’s strength, my mother’s love, my sister’s support and my fiancee’s unyielding belief in me. I am blessed to have all of them here with me today. I will always be grateful to them for the sacrifices they have made.” President Barack Obama, who nominated him for the position, had battled through Republican opposition for more than a year to secure a confirmation for what will be a four-year tenure.