Modi may tap Taranjit Singh Sandhu for Washington, Raveesh Kumar for Singapore

By Asia Samachar Team | INDIA |

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, has been tipped to be the next Indian ambassador to the US, a prestigious position within the Indian foreign service hierarchy.

Taranjit is believed to be a favourite of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, reports The Print.

Quoting unnamed sources, the report said Taranjit was instrumental in forging a fresh relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-elected Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa Gotabaya, after a lot of ups and downs between the two countries in the last couple of years.

He was likely to succeed Harsh Vardhan Shringla who has made a foreign secretary on Jan 29.

Before his Sri Lanka stint which began in January 2017, Taranjit was Sandhu the Deputy Chief of Mission at Washington from July 2013 to January 2017.

A 1988-batch IFS officer, he also has the experience of working at the United Nations. He was posted as Joint Secretary (UN) from March 2009 to August 2011. He was also at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York, from July 2005 to February 2009.

Over the years, he has also served in the former Soviet Union (Russia), Ukraine and Germany.

Born on 23 Jan 1963, he studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens’ College, Delhi. He then took a post-graduate degree in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

He is married to Reenat Sandhu, also an IFS officer, and has two children.

Aside from Taranjit, the report said Modi government was also considering MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar as India’s next High Commissioner to Singapore. He is also said to be the frontrunner as the next Ambassador to Austria.

In October 2019, Raveesh was tasked to deliver India’s response after Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad criticised India’s handling of Kashmir in a speech at the United Nations.