New Delhi: India has appointed a new ambassador to the United States, and the responsibility has been given to senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Vinay Mohan Kwatra. After his recent retirement as Foreign Secretary, Kwatra is set to represent India in the United States.Distinguished diplomatic careerVinay Mohan Kwatras diplomatic career spans over three decades. Before his current appointment, Kwatra served as Indias ambassador to Nepal, where he played a crucial role in strengthening India-Nepal ties. His efforts in improving bilateral relations have been widely acknowledged and appreciated.Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America: MEA pic.twitter.com/EP25hnbMbo— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024Background of Vinay Mohan KwatraBorn in Srinagar, Vikram Misris early education took place in Jammu and Kashmir, where he attended Burn Hall School, DAV School, and Carmel Convent School. He completed his schooling at the Scindia School in Gwalior and later earned a Bachelors degree with Honours in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Before joining the government, Misri worked in advertising and advertising film-making. He is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute USAs India Leadership Initiative and speaks Hindi, English, Kashmiri, and has a working knowledge of French.Kwatra holds a Masters degree in Science (M.Sc.) and is fluent in several languages, including Hindi, English, French, and Russian. Moreover, he has earned a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva.Transition in leadershipKwatra succeeds Shri Vikram Misri, who assumed the role of Foreign Secretary on July 15, 2024. Ambassador Misri, a seasoned diplomat from the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, has had an illustrious career with various assignments in the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Ministers Office, and Indian Missions abroad.Vikram Misris impressive tenureAmbassador Misri has held numerous key positions throughout his career. In New Delhi, he worked on the Pakistan desk of the Ministry of External Affairs and served for Foreign Ministers I K Gujral and Pranab Mukherjee. Misri also served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office and as Private Secretary to three Prime Ministers: I K Gujral, Dr Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi.International expertiseMisris international assignments include postings in Brussels, Tunis, Islamabad, and Washington, D.C. He has also served as Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Consul General of India in Munich. Notably, he was appointed as Indias Ambassador to Spain in 2014, Ambassador to Myanmar in 2016, and Ambassador to China from January 2019 to December 2021. His most recent role was as Deputy National Security Adviser (Strategic Affairs) of India.
