NEW DELHI: Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday was appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to the United States. A 1984 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Shringla is expected to take up his new assignment shortly, according to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry. Shringla will succeed Navtej Sarna, who is slated to retire by the end of 2018. At present, Shringla is serving as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

A graduate from the prestigious St. Stephen's College in New Delhi, Shringla worked in the corporate and public sectors in India prior to joining the Indian Foreign Service. Shringla speaks French, Vietnamese and Nepalese apart from being fluent in English and Indian languages. In a diplomatic career spanning 34 years, Shringla has held a variety of key positions in New Delhi and abroad.

Here is a brief summary on the key appointments held by Harsh Vardhan Shringla in his long and illustrious civil services career:

1: Served in the Ministry headquarters in New Delhi as Joint Secretary (Director General) responsible for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives.

2: A stint in the United Nations, serving at UNESCO in France, at the UN in New York, besides serving in various capacities in Vietnam, Israel and South Africa.

3: Headed the UN Political and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) divisions in the Ministry.

4: Served as Director of the Northern Division dealing with Nepal and Bhutan and as Deputy Secretary of the Europe West Division.

5: He has pursued courses and published papers on conflict prevention, economic diplomacy and the Indian diaspora.