New Delhi: 67-year-old Nancy Powell, the US ambassador to India will depart for her country on Thursday and Kathleen Stephens, a career diplomat will take over as the interim US envoy.

Powell had assumed the charge as the US Ambassador to India in the year 2012.

The state department spokesperson Jen Psaki acknowledged Powell's tenure as US envoy to India and her departure from New Delhi with the words, "with a deep appreciation of the Administration and the State Department for her outstanding work as ambassador to India. Under her guidance, we continued our strategic partnership across a number of important areas, such as trade, defense, space, and education."

Kathleen Stephens, a career foreign service officer will assume the charge with her arrival in the month of June, 2014.

Kathleen Stephens, prior to this assignment has served as the US ambassador to South Korea for three years from 2008 to 2011 and before that she held senior positions in Washington, Asia and Europe.

Stephens will take up the charge until a new permanent envoy is designated and confirmed by the US Senate.