Ranjan Mathai
Encyclopedia
Ranjan Mathai is the current Indian Foreign Secretary
. He assumed charge on August 1, 2011 with a two year term. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Indian Ambassador to France
.
, India
. He did his post graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Pune
, as his father was a teacher at NDA. His mother Sara was a teacher. He is the third Malayali
in a row to hold the foreign secretary's post.
Officer
. His term of office will be for two years. He succeeds Nirupama Rao
, who is now India's Ambassador to the United States of America.
He joined the IFS after completing post graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Poona. He has served in Indian Embassies in Vienna
, Colombo
, Washington
, Tehran
and Brussels
.
As Joint Secretary (BSM) in the Ministry of External Affairs
in New Delhi
(January 1995 to February 1998), he headed the Division dealing with India’s relations with Bangladesh
, Sri Lanka
, Myanmar
and Maldives
.
Mathai has also served as Indian Ambassador to Israel – February 1998 to June 2001, and was the Indian Ambassador in Qatar
from August 2001 to July 2005. He held the post of Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London from August 2005 to January 2007.
He became Ambassador of India
to France
in January 2007.
Indian Foreign Secretary
An Indian Foreign Secretary is the top diplomat for Indian Foreign Relations, who is appointed in the Ministry of External Affairs Office. Foreign Secretaries are experienced IFS officers, who are ambassadors to foreign nations....
. He assumed charge on August 1, 2011 with a two year term. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Indian Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Early life
Ranajan Mathai was born in Thiruvalla, KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He did his post graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Pune
University of Pune
The University of Pune , is a university located in northwestern Pune, India. It was founded in 1949. Spread over a campus, the university is home to 46 academic departments...
, as his father was a teacher at NDA. His mother Sara was a teacher. He is the third Malayali
Malayali
Malayali is the term used to refer to the native speakers of Malayalam, originating from the Indian state of Kerala...
in a row to hold the foreign secretary's post.
Career
Ranjan Mathai is a 1974 batch Indian Foreign ServiceIndian Foreign Service
The Indian Foreign Service is the foreign service of India. It is the body of career diplomats of India.The Indian Foreign Service is part of the Central Civil Services of the Government of India...
Officer
Civil Services of India
The Civil Services of India refer to the civil service and the permanent bureaucracy of the Government of India...
. His term of office will be for two years. He succeeds Nirupama Rao
Nirupama Rao
Nirupama Menon Rao is a 1973 batch Indian Foreign Service officer who is the current Ambassador of India to the United States of America since August 2011...
, who is now India's Ambassador to the United States of America.
He joined the IFS after completing post graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Poona. He has served in Indian Embassies in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
As Joint Secretary (BSM) in the Ministry of External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs may refer to:* Ministry of External Affairs * Ministry of External Affairs * Ministry of External Affairs * Ministry of External Affairs and Defence...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
(January 1995 to February 1998), he headed the Division dealing with India’s relations with Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
and Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
.
Mathai has also served as Indian Ambassador to Israel – February 1998 to June 2001, and was the Indian Ambassador in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
from August 2001 to July 2005. He held the post of Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London from August 2005 to January 2007.
He became Ambassador of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in January 2007.