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NEW YORK, April 29 (PTI) Published here is a biography chronicling the life and career of former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, along with his first-hand account of some of the major contemporary global challenges of his tenure.
Shringla, 61, who is currently the chief coordinator of India’s G20 presidency, addressed prominent figures in the Indian-American and diaspora communities at an event last week to launch his biography, “No Rise by Chance.”
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Former US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and Indian Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal were special guests at the event, which was hosted by Jaipur Foot USA, a subsidiary of Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), and Prem Bhandari, Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA.
“The Rise Not By Accident” was written by Dr. Dipmala Roka, Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, Sikkim University, Gangtok. It was launched in Darjeeling earlier this month.
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“This biography of one of India’s most eminent diplomats, former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, describes his life and his ,”it says.
“His life and work were deeply rooted in his traditions, culture and values.”
Shringla notes that the “readable” book is a “well-researched” and “candid” account of “not just my career, but my entire life thus far.”
Shringla recalled that he first met Roka when he visited Sikkim in April 2021, just before the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. At the time, Sikkim University organized a major event to convey the message of India’s foreign policy to the state’s youth, Shringla said.
Shringla visited Gangtok to attend the 4th Global Lecture Series organized by the Department of International Relations, Sikkim University.
The book also touches on the people-to-people relationship between India and the US, he said.
“The community has been our mainstay and main support. Much of our achievements, from the nuclear deal to our most recent achievements, can be attributed to the wholehearted support of the Indian-American community,” Shringla said at the event.
In the author’s note, Roka writes that she worked closely with Shringla on the book, “which gave me an insight into the making of Indian foreign policy that no academic work can provide. A The first-hand accounts of senior diplomats who have dealt extensively with some of the major global challenges of our time are very illuminating.”
Interspersed with photographs from Shringla’s personal life and diplomatic career, the book documents his early years and his diplomatic journey from joining India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984, where he served as joint secretary to Thailand from 2010 to 2013. Special Envoy, Bangladesh and Washington, and his term as Foreign Secretary from January 2020 to April 2022.
Roka said of the challenging times India and the world are in as they grapple with the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, “The COVID-19 pandemic is a health catastrophe with massive shocks… Shringla manages the department’s administrative and diplomatic response and the Department of External Affairs is tasked with addressing this exceptionally difficult challenge.”
Shringla “ensures that overseas missions provide all possible assistance to stranded Indians following the imposition of COVID-19 related restrictions… All in all, Shringla and his team successfully coordinated 9 Vande Bharat missions by the end of February 2021 phase.”
In the book, Roka further writes, “As a man who has worked multilaterally at various levels for a decade, many of his colleagues point out that Shringla is the rare foreign secretary who can handle the multilateralism he brings with him. Complicated issues. Ways.”
In the chapter on Shringla in Washington as India’s ambassador, Rocca writes: “The government’s decision to abolish Article 370 and impose temporary restrictions in the united state of Jammu and Kashmir has caused disagreements among liberals and Islamist radicals alike. The usual backlash from the coalition – and Pakistan’s response – was openly fanning the flames.
“A major challenge is the one-sided and factually unreasonable draft resolution put forward by Indian-born Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in her quest to gain support from the left wing of the Democratic Party.
“Shringla and his team have waged a fierce campaign on Capitol Hill to articulate what is the factually correct position and highlight the damage such a resolution could do to relations between the two countries. He met with a record 400 senators and congressmen, and traveled to 22 US states to meet governors, state senators and key influencers. Very helpful when considering the steps taken by the Indian government to repeal Article 370 of the constitution and pass the Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) .”
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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