Dr. Subhash Sahai from Webster City, Iowa, was approved in a vote taken on Monday, April 8, 2013, by the Senate to serve on the Board of Regents.

Little controversy surrounded Sahai’s appointment, and a 45-5 vote with minimal debate assured his addition onto the Board.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D) said, “He’s a respected physician. [He is] very well-known in that community [and] not just as a doctor, but also as someone who has been an active participant in community affairs.”

Some of Sahai’s community activities after serving patients at Webster City Medical Clinic, are serving on the advisory council for the University of Iowa Medical School and acting as President of Webster City Medical Clinic.

Devoted to his practice as a physician, Sahai said he will carry this dedication to his service on the Board. When asked if he there was anything he was nervous for in the future, Sahai responded with “everything.”

“This is a type of position with a lot of responsibilities, and [it is] not something you can take lightly,” Sahai said.

Quirmbach said there was little debate with the approval of Sahai.

“He is obviously an accomplished individual and someone whose community spirit bodes well for his service on the Board of Regents,” Quirmbach said.

A Nu Deli, India, native, Sahai has been in the United States since 1976 and has attended all three Regent public universities. He began at the University of Northern Iowa, spent a summer semester in the P and T Biochemistry program at Iowa State and finished with a doctorate of medicine from Iowa.

Sahai said he has fond memories of his short time at Iowa State, saying that his adviser was very kind to him during both the long hours in the lab and beyond.

“I was trying to get my feet wet and see what I was going to be doing with Biochemistry, and that was kind of overwhelming,” Sahai said. “I had only been in the United States for two years, and this was all still new for me.”

Sahai had a fairly difficult time adjusting to the life in America, he said. The first two years spent at Northern Iowa were the toughest because of the enormous difference in population, customs and weather.

“Well, you start in August, and then, here comes November with all this harsh weather!” Sahai laughed.

This adjustment period makes Sahai empathetic with international students in their transition to attending a school in a completely different setting.

“I think that’s one way universities can make a difference: welcoming more international students. We have the education we can dispense to them [that] they can bring back to their homeland and families and cultures. You can just imagine the difference they’ll make to apply to those areas,” Sahai said.

Sahai doesn’t know for certain when he will begin his time with the Board, but said he is looking forward to determining how he can best make a difference with “nothing but the interest of education at heart.”