Shankar presented her diplomatic papers to officers and was escorted by a Mississippi Development Authority representative and an airport security officer, but witnesses said she was subjected to the hands-on search.
The government of India has set up the B R Ambedkar Chair in Indian Constitutional Law at the Columbia University Law School. It also established the Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowships at the law school to help students from India.
Close on the heels of Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar being subjected to a 'pat-down' search, another incident of top Indian diplomat Hardeep Puri being patted down at Houston Airport has come to light following which India has lodged a strong protest with the United States.
"We are in touch with the Department of Homeland Security. There may be ways in which we can improve communications so that officials at airports know when diplomats are coming and help to better facilitate their movement through security," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said at his daily news conference on Friday.
'Indian government is very keen to attract talent back, particularly for all the new institutions that it is building in the field of higher education.'
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