Ruchira Kamboj, a 1987 batch Indian Foreign Services Officer (IFS), is all set to take charge as India’s Permanent Representative in the United Nations. She is India’s first woman envoy to the United Nations. She will be succeeding Ambassador T.S. Thirumurthi.
Kamboj was appointed to the post in June. It comes after the glorious news of the four woman’s team who won historic gold in lawn balls in the ongoing Commonwealth Games. Now, she is ready to assume office in New York.
It is a proud moment for India because she is the first Indian woman to do so. She presented her credentials to the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday. On the very day, she took charge as India’s permanent Representative in the United Nations.
She reflected that it was “a privilege” to be the first woman to be given the “honour to hold the position” in one of her recent tweets.
Kamboj further motivated all the girls by her motivating and inspiring journey. She tweeted, “To the girls out there, we can make it.”
More about the India’s first Woman Envoy to the UN:
Ruchira Kamboj was the woman topper in the Civil Services batch of 1987. She was also the topper of the foreign services batch of 1987. She began her fantastic and admiring diplomatic career in Paris. Ruchira served as the Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy in France from 1989 to 1991.
Then she made a journey back home. She came to New Delhi where she joined the Ministry of External Affairs office in New Delhi from 1991 to 1996. Ruchira Kamboj assumed office as the under secretary in the Europe West Division during that period under the External affairs ministry in Delhi.
Later, she worked as the First Secretary of the economic and commercial wings in Mauritius in the brief period of 1996 to 1999. At the same time, she was also the Head of Chancery at the Indian High Commision in Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius.
Then, she went on to serve as India’s High Commissioner to South Africa. She also has special accreditation to the Kingdom of Lesotho. She also served as the envoy to Bhutan from 17 May, 2019.
Ruchia Kamboj in the United Nations:
Ms. Ruchira was appointed Counsellor at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations from 2002 to 2005. She had a knack to deal with political issues because of her involvement in the Middle East Crisis, the United Nations Peacekeeping force, the United Nations Security Council reforms etc.
From 2011- 2014 she yet again proved herself by becoming the first woman Chief of Protocol. Under this capacity, she oversaw the outgoing delegations of the President, the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to other countries. She closely worked with all the ambassadors and high commissions in India as well as augmented their task. Kamboj also handled and dealt with incoming Heads of State of various countries during her tenure.
Upon the release of the Blue Ribbon Panel Report by then General Secretary Kofi Ann, she was part of the G-4 delegation. She played a key role in the team where she worked on the expansion and reform of the Security Council. The work is still under progress.
During Prime Minister Modi’s swearing in ceremony, Kamboj was given special directions to conduct the ceremony smoothly. Government heads and leaders of SAARC nations and Mauritius were also present in the swearing in ceremony.
Kamboj will join the group of current woman Ambassadors from Norway, UAE, the United Nations and UK among others.
India’s tenure in the Security Council will end in December this year where India will preside over the Council for a month during its last month.
