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Vice President Joe Biden (right) swears in Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Sate Department yesterday in Washington. Joining Clinton is her husband, former President Bill Clinton, second from left, and their daughter Chelsea Clinton. Pic/APu00a0

After President Barack Obama, it was the turn of Hillary Clinton to be sworn in as America's 67th secretary of state - for a second time. Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath to Clinton in a ceremonial star-studded gathering at the State Department yesterday, with husband, former president Bill Clinton, and former first daughter Chelsea Clinton among those on hand.

So was Indian-American businessman Sant Singh Chatwal, a key supporter of the Clintons and a trustee of the William J Clinton Foundation, a charitable foundation organised by Bill Clinton focusing on global issues of health security and economic empowerment.

Several of Clinton's predecessors were in attendance for the unusual gathering, including Madeleine Albright, Lawrence Eagleburger, James Baker and Henry Kissinger. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also attended. So did actor Chevy Chase and designer Oscar de la Renta.