Mega IFS Reshuffle: Akbaruddin new Indian envoy to UN; Vijay Gokhale to be Indian ambassador to China

Diplomat Akbaruddin trying a selfie with PM Modi (File Photo)

IN A major reshuffle, a number of diplomats are set to take up new assignments. Many a key mission such as Beijing, London, Moscow, Islamabad and Tokyo will now have new diplomats at the helm. Here are the 12 diplomats and their new postings:
 1. Syed Akbaruddin, 1985 batch IFS and former MEA spokesperson who is currently monitoring the preparation of India-Africa Forum summit, will be the new Indian envoy to UN.
2. Gautam Bambawale, 1984 batch IFS officer, has been appointed as Indian high commissioner to Pakistan. He knows Mandarin and was considered for the post of India’s envoy to China as well. Bambawale is now Indian envoy to Bhutan.
3. Vijay Gokhale, a 1981 batch IFS and currently Indian ambassador to Germany, has been appointed as Indian ambassador to China. He will succeed Ashok Kantha. Gokhale did MA in history before getting into IFS.
4. Navtej Sarna, 1980 batch IFS will be Indian high commissioner to UK. He was a commerce and law student in Delhi university before getting into IFS. He is also a novelist and story-writer. His novels include The Exile and We Weren’t Lovers Like That.
5. Harsh Shringla, 1984 batch IFS and India’s envoy in Thailand, has been appointed as Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh.
6. India’s ambassador to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran of 1982 batch (IFS) will be India’s envoy in Moscow.
7. India’s envoy in Afghanistan and 1982 batch IFS Amar Sinha is set to become Secretary (East) in MEA.
8. Manpreet Vohra, 1988 batch IFS, is set to be India’s envoy in Afghanistan. Earlier, he had a stint as India’s deputy high commissioner in Islamabad.
9. Sujan Chinoy, 1981 batch IFS and Indian ambassador to Mexico will be the new ambassador to Japan. Chinoy, a son of an IPS officer hails from Gujarat. (Many appreciated his sitar performance on October 2, 2013 in Mexico City when he played Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajans Raghupati Raghav Rajaram.)
10. Anil Wadhwa, 1979 batch IFS and secretary (east) in MEA will be India's ambassador to Italy.
11. Amarendra Khatua, 1981 batch IFS officer, will be Secretary (West) in the MEA. He had earlier served in the ministry of commerce on a deputation. He is also a well-known Odiya poet.
12. George Raju, presently consul general in consulate general of India, Saint Denis, has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to Iraq.