NASA fires Indian-origin DEI chief Neela Rajendra after Trump's anti-DEI executive order

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has officially parted ways with Neela Rajendra, its Indian-origin head of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), despite earlier efforts to retain her by altering her title following the shutdown of the lab’s DEI department in March. The move comes in the wake of an executive order from President Donald Trump that bans DEI initiatives across executive branch agencies. According to an internal email sent by JPL Director Laurie Leshin last Thursday, Rajendra “is no longer working” at the facility. The email, cited by the Washington Free Beacon, praised her contributions but confirmed the transition. “We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best,” it read.

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