Nirupama Rao
Nirupama Menon Rao (born 6 December 1950) is a retired civil servant of 1973 batch Indian Foreign Service cadre who served as India's Foreign Secretary from 2009 to 2011, as well as being India's Ambassador to the United States, China and Sri Lanka (High Commissioner) during her career.
Nirupama Rao | |
|---|---|
Rao in 2010 | |
| Ambassador of India to the United States of America | |
| In office 1 August 2011 – 5 November 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Meera Shankar |
| Succeeded by | S Jaishankar |
| 28th Foreign Secretary of India | |
| In office 1 August 2009 – 31 July 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Shivshankar Menon |
| Succeeded by | Ranjan Mathai |
| Indian Ambassador to China | |
| In office 1 November 2006 – 31 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Nalin Surie |
| Succeeded by | S Jaishankar |
| Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka | |
| In office 1 August 2004 – 30 September 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Nirupam Sen |
| Succeeded by | Alok Prasad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 December 1950 Malappuram, Kerala, India |
| Occupation | IFS |
| Profession | Civil Servant |
| Website | www |
In July 2009, she became the second woman (after Chokila Iyer) to hold the post of India's Foreign Secretary, the head of the Indian Foreign Service. In her career she served in several capacities including, Minister of Press, Information and Culture in Washington DC, Deputy Chief of Mission in Moscow, stints in the MEA as Joint Secretary, East Asia and External Publicity, the latter position making her the first woman spokesperson of the MEA, Chief of Personnel, Ambassador to Peru and China, and High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.