Amb. Shashank (Retd)
Former Foreign Secretary




Date of Birth27 July 1944
Joined Indian Foreign Service in 1966


Last assignment
  • Foreign Secretary(from 1st December, 2003 to 31st July, 2004)

     With Concurrent assignment as

  • Secretary (Europe, Americas & Africa) (July 2002 to July, 2004)Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India since July 2002
    • Responsible for India’s relations with countries of Europe, Africa and Americas

Earlier assignments

  • Secretary (Economic Relations) (June 2001 to June 2002)Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
    • Responsible for India’s external economic relations, including ITEC
    • Looked after Asia-Pacific affairs, ARF, BIMST-EC and India’s relations with Southeast Asia, Koreas and Pacific regions.
    • Work relating to Indian Council of World Affairs

  • Ambassador of India to Copenhagen, Denmark (March 1999 – May 2001)
  • Ambassador of India to Seoul, Republic of Korea (Nov. 1994 – January 1999)
  • Ambassador of India to Tripoli, Libya and concurrent accreditation as High Commissioner of India to Malta (May 1991 – October 1994)
  • Joint Secretary (CPV) and Chief Passport Officer of the Government of India (March 1986 – May 1991)
  • Minister (Political) and Deputy High Commissioner of India in Islamabad, Pakistan  (September 1982 – March 1986)
  • Handled economic and social work relating to United Nations in the Ministry and was also posted at the Indian Mission in New York. (Jan 1974 – July 1978)
  • Held senior positions in the Indian Missions in Brussels, Hanoi & Cairo

 Education    M.Sc. (Physics) with First Position in the University in April, 1963. Taught graduate classes from July 1963 to April 1966.

Family                
                             (a)     Wife – Kalpana, President of External Affairs Spouses Association (2003-2004)
                             (b)     Son – Amit
                             (c)     Daughter – Puja

Dr. Manu Chandaria
(Manilal Premchand Chandaria)



Manu Chandaria OBE EBS, born in Kenya, is engaged in work within the framework of a joint Indian family of seventy members with business interests in more than seventy countries.
In Kenya – Chairman – Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd.
Chairman – Kaluworks Ltd
In Tanzania Chairman – Aluminium Africa Ltd
Founding Chairman - East African Business Council.
Past Chairman – Kenya Association of Manufacturers.
Sits on other Boards/Councils in the manufacturing, insurance and higher education sectors.
Founding Chairman – Kenya Private Sector Alliance, and umbrella body representing over two hundred sectors and organizations.
Council member of University of Nairobi and Director/Trustee of the United States International University Recently appointed by His Excellency the President to the National Economic and Social Council.
Appointed to serve on various other Government Boards/Committee set up to reduce poverty, revive the flagging economy through a healthy private sector, encourage modernization through science and technology and improve the lot of children living on the streets.
Deeply involved in charitable and social work.

The University of Nairobi in recognition of outstanding achievements in the industrial, manufacturing and business sector and his contribution to the economy of Kenya awarded him a Doctorate of Science in 1997.
For three consecutive years 2000, 2001 and 2002 he was named the most respected Chief Executive Officer in East Africa.
He has been honoured severally in India, the most important of these awards being in 2003 when the first Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Puraskar was conferred by the Government of India on the ten most distinguished overseas persons of Indian origin, in a worldwide diaspora of twenty million spread worldwide, in recognition of exceptional services rendered to the countries of their domicile. Dr. Chandaria was one of the ten recipients.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II conferred an OBE on him in the New Year Honours List 2003 in recognition of his work for the community in Kenya and for his promotion of Kenyan economic interests.
His Excellency Hon. Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya, conferred on him the honour of Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) in December 2003 in recognition of outstanding and distinguished service to the nation.

Rotarian – Past Chairman Rotary Club of Nairobi .