The United States has appointed Farah Pandith, a Kashmiri-origin Indian woman, to reach out to the Muslim world, providing momentum to President Barack Obama's efforts for a "new beginning" with the community.

Pandith's appointment was made early this week but the State Department communications staff failed to make the key nomination public.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed Pandith, a Muslim, as a Special Representative to Islamic communities two days ago.

Kelly only released the information when journalists asked him during the daily media briefing about reports that a special representative for Muslim communities had been named.

"Yes," he said.

"She's actually a friend of mine. I worked with her very closely in the European Bureau, Farah Pandith. She was a special adviser for outreach to Muslim communities in Europe.

The secretary has appointed her to more of a global role," Kelly said.

In her capacity, Pandith would advance Clinton's efforts to "engage with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organisational level".

Pandith's appointment came three weeks after President Barack Obama's historic speech in Egyptian capital Cairo to Muslims across the world.