Harsh Vardhan Shringla

Shringla was schooled at Mayo College, Ajmer and received a B.A. from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. He worked in private industry in India prior to joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). He since has published papers on conflict prevention, economic diplomacy, the Indian diaspora, and India-Bangladesh relations.{{Cite web |url=https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=326 |title=Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Indian Ambassador to the United States |access-date=22 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122094700/https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=326 |archive-date=22 January 2019 |url-status=dead}}

Shringla joined the IFS in 1984 and spent 38 years in the service. He held a variety of positions both in New Delhi, at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs, and abroad at Indian diplomatic missions. He was posted in France (as part of India's Mission to UNESCO), the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York City, Vietnam (at the consulate-general and embassy in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively), Israel, and South Africa (at the consulate-general in Durban).{{Cite web |url=https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=326 |title=Harsh V Shringla, Indian Ambassador to the United States |access-date=22 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122094700/https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=326 |archive-date=22 January 2019 |url-status=dead}}

Shringla received his first ambassadorial assignment to the Kingdom of Thailand and served for two years from January 2014 to January 2016.{{Cite news |url=https://embassyofindiabangkok.gov.in/pages.php?id=3 |title=Embassy of India in Bangkok |date=8 August 2018 |access-date=11 April 2019}}

Shringla served as High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh from January 2016 to January 2019.{{Cite news |url=http://ibtbd.net/harsh-vardhan-shringla-high-commissioner-india-bangladesh/ |title=Harsh Vardhan Shringla, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh |date=7 March 2018 |access-date=11 April 2019}} During this period, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh visited India in April 2017, a visit that Shringla helped coordinate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described her visit as the heralding of a "Sonali Adhyay" or a "Golden Era" in the bilateral ties.{{Cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/et-analysis-indo-bangla-relations-enjoy-golden-period/articleshow/66118543.cms |title=ET Analysis: Indo-Bangla relations enjoy golden period |work=The Economic Times |date=8 October 2018 |access-date=11 April 2019}} He is also credited for his role as the co-chair of the India-Bangladesh Joint Boundary Working Group,{{Cite news |url=https://mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/1636/Meeting+of+IndiaBangladesh+Joint+Boundary+Working+Group |title=Meeting of India-Bangladesh Joint Boundary Working Group |date=11 November 2010 |access-date=14 December 2019}} which finalized India's Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh.{{Cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/harsh-vardhan-shringla-is-new-indian-envoy-in-bangladesh/articleshow/49833588.cms |title=Harsh Vardhan Shringla is new Indian envoy in Bangladesh |work=The Economic Times |date=18 November 2015 |access-date=22 January 2019}}

Shringla in 2019 was appointed the Indian Ambassador to the United States. Within two days of his arrival in Washington, D.C., he presented his credentials to U.S. President Donald Trump on 11 January 2019 in a ceremony at The White House.{{Cite news |url=https://www.indianembassy.org/press_detail.php?nid=24820 |title=Press Release - Ambassador Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla presented his Credentials to U. S. President Mr. Donald Trump |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=22 January 2019}}

He traveled across the U.S. in an effort to become a bridge for people-to-people ties between India and the U.S. He traveled to 21 U.S. states during his one year tenure, making an effort to reach out to students, Americans of Indian-origin, working professionals, and state governments.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rtp.org/calendar/driving-innovation-technology-and-indias-rise-as-a-global-power/ |title=Driving Innovation: Technology and India's Rise as a Global Power |date=10 October 2019 |access-date=6 January 2020}}

During his time in the U.S., the Howdy Modi event took place in Houston, Texas on 22 September 2019, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump jointly addressed a gathering of over 50,000 people, with a plurality of the attendees being of Indian-origin.{{Cite news |url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/Modi-in-Houston-howdy-Modi-Houston-mahatma-Gandhi-Donald-trump/story/1/32041.html |title=How Modi weaved magic in Houston |date=25 September 2019 |access-date=3 October 2019}} The event was the largest rally ever hosted by a foreign leader in the United States, and the first one to be jointly held with a U.S. President.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/29/prime-minister-modi-india-donald-trump-addressed-huge-houston-rally-who-was-signaling-what/ |title=How Modi Attracted 50000 in Houston |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=29 September 2019 |access-date=3 October 2019}} Shringla, as India's Ambassador, was heavily involved in the planning of the event.

File:Amb - GU India Initiative - 2019-04-23.jpg in Washington, D.C.]]

On 29 January 2020, Shringla assumed the charge of Foreign Secretary of India as the 33rd Foreign Secretary. While addressing media ahead of taking charge, Shringla acknowledged the responsibilities and challenges that came with it and added that he would work under the leadership of Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of India for a more secure and prosperous India.{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/harsh-vardhan-shringla-takes-charge-as-the-new-foreign-secretary/article30683044.ece |title=Ambassador Shringla Takes Charge As 33rd FS |date=29 January 2020 |work=Business Line |access-date=2 February 2020}}

As Foreign Secretary of India, he visited Myanmar in December 2021 and emphasized India's interest in seeing Myanmar's return to democracy at the earliest; release of detainees and prisoners; resolution of issues through dialogue and complete cessation of all violence in relation to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.{{Cite news|last=Bhattacherjee|first=Kallol|date=2021-12-24|title=India seeks early return of democracy in Myanmar|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/india-seeks-early-return-of-democracy-in-myanmar/article38024643.ece}}

During his tenure as Foreign Secretary, he dealt with some of the most pressing foreign policy issues namely, fallout of the Covid pandemic, India-China border issues at Ladakh, U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and military takeover in Myanmar.{{Cite news|date=2021-12-13|title=Despite COVID-19 pandemic, India and UAE continued to work closely together|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/others/despite-covid-19-pandemic-india-and-uae-continued-to-work-closely-together-shringla20211213192321/|work=ANI News|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=2021-12-01|title=Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla meets EU special envoy for Afghanistan|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/foreign-secretary-harsh-vardhan-shringla-meets-eu-special-envoy-for-afghanistan/articleshow/88036363.cms|work=The Economic Times|language=en}}

On 1 April 2022 he was succeeded by Vinay Mohan Kwatra as the 34th Foreign Secretary of India.{{Cite news|date=2022-04-04|title=Vinay Mohan Kwatra announced as the new foreign secretary|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vinay-mohan-kwatra-india-s-ambassador-to-nepal-to-be-new-foreign-secretary-101649073091154.html|work=Hindustan Times|language=en}} After his superannuation from the Indian Foreign Service, Shringla was appointed Chief G20 Coordinator for India's G20 Presidency in 2023.{{Cite news|date=2022-04-10|title = Harsh V Shringla was G20 chief coordinator|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/harsh-v-shringla-is-g20-chief-coordinator/articleshow/90752084.cms}}

Shringla has written on a number of topics such as international economy, climate change, preventive diplomacy and India-US bilateral relations, including The United Nations and Conflict Prevention: Balance Between Sovereignty and Action (Indian Journal of International Law){{cite journal |last1=Shringla |first1=Harsh Vardhan |title=The United Nations and Conflict Prevention: Balance Between Sovereignty and Action |url=https://www.isil-aca.org/download/contents/2007.pdf |journal=Indian Journal of International Law |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=429–445 |access-date=5 December 2019}} and Project Granite at the New International Airport in Israel (CUTS International, 2011).{{Cite book |last1=Rana |first1=Kishan S |last2=Chatterjee |first2=Bipul |year=2011 |title=Economic Diplomacy: India's Experience |pages=79, 84 |place=Jaipur |publisher=CUTS International |isbn=978-81-8257-139-6}}

Shringla has also contributed articles in newspapers and magazines on a diverse range of topics including an Op-ed piece in The New York Times, India Is Building a More Prosperous Kashmir giving the context and objectives of India's decision to abrogate the temporary Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/opinion/india-pakistan-kashmir-jammu.html |title=India Is Building a More Prosperous Kashmir |first=Harsh Vardhan |last=Shringla |date=19 September 2019 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=5 December 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/opinion/imran-khan-kashmir-pakistan.html |title=The World can't Ignore Kashmir. We Are All In Danger. |first=Imran |last=Khan |date=30 August 2019 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=5 December 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/opinion/imran-khan-kashmir-pakistan.html |title=Indian ambassador briefs US lawmakers on Kashmir |first=Harsh Vardhan |last=Shringla |date=17 October 2019 |work=Deccan Herald |accessdate=5 December 2019}}

Shringla is an avid reader and sports enthusiast, with an interest in mountaineering and hockey. He had been on a number of mountain expeditions including to Everest Base Camp, Friendship Peak in Himachal Pradesh. He was a liaison officer for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 1996. He represented St. Stephen's College, Delhi in hockey at inter-college and other tournaments and received College Colors for this.

Shringla was born in Mumbai, to a Buddhist Sikkimese father and a Hindu mother. His father was also part of the Indian civil service.{{Cite news |date=2020-01-29|title=Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has overcome challenges pragmatically|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-diplomat-foretold-harsh-vardhan-shringla-foreign-secretary-6240024/|access-date=2020-11-26|work=The Indian Express|language=en}} He speaks French, Vietnamese and Nepali apart from English and other Indian languages. He is married to Mrs. Hemal Shringla and has one son.

• He was awarded the JTM Gibson Award for Outstanding Alumni by Mayo College, Ajmer in 2017.{{Cite news |url=https://jtmgibson.typepad.com/my_weblog/jtm-gibson-award-for-exce.html |title=Remembering Jack Gibson |date=1 January 2017 |access-date=4 October 2019}}
• The ICFAI University, Sikkim bestowed on him a D. Litt Honoris Causa Honorary Doctorate degree on 9 September 2019.{{Cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM0XBpEW4VI&t=92s |title=Ambassador Harsh V Shringla's acceptance speech on receiving Honorary Doctorate |date=9 September 2019 |access-date=9 September 2019}}

• Vijay Gokhale
• List of Mayoites
• Dr. S Jaishankar

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• [https://mea.gov.in/fs.htm Bio data of Foreign Secretary] – Ministry of External Affairs of India

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Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Mumbai

Category:People from Darjeeling

Category:St. Stephen's College, Delhi alumni

Category:Ambassadors of India to the United States

Category:Indian Foreign Service officers

Category:Mayo College alumni

Category:Ambassadors of India to Thailand

Category:High commissioners of India to Bangladesh

Category:Indian Foreign Secretaries

Category:Indian Gorkhas