India’s New Ambassador to China Takes Charge

Ambassador (Ms.) Nirupama Rao formally took over as India’s Ambassador to China on 14^th November 2006 after presenting her Credentials to President Hu Jintao at a ceremony held in the Great Hall of the People. Ambassador Rao is the first lady Ambassador of India to China. She succeeds Ambassador Nalin Surie, who returned to India in October 2006 after completing his tenure in China.

Ms. Rao was born in the State of Kerala, India on 6 December 1950. Her early education took place in cities all over India, including Bangalore, Pune, Lucknow, Coonoor (Tamilnadu). She holds a Masters Degree in English Literature from Marathwada University (1972). She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1973. She has served in various world capitals, including Washington and Moscow. She has had extensive experience in relations between India and China, having served in the East Asia Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi from 1984 to 1992. Ms. Rao was Ambassador of India to Peru from 1995 to 1998. From 2001 to 2002, she served as the first woman spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. She has just completed her tenure as High Commissioner for India in Sri Lanka (2004-2006). Ms. Rao arrived in Beijing to take up her assignment as Ambassador of India to China in late October 2006.

Ms. Rao was a Fellow of the Centre for International Affairs (now the Weatherhead Centre) of Harvard University from 1992-93. She is married to Sudhakar Rao, a senior civil servant, who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service. She has two sons, Nikhilesh and Kartikeya. Ms. Rao’s hobbies include music (Hindustani, Carnatic and Western), theatre and writing. Her first book of poems “Rain Rising” was published in India in 2004 and also released in Sri Lanka.