Shiv Shankar Menon
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Shiv Shankar Menon, is India's Foreign Secretary. Menon was the High Commissioner to Pakistan and served in China and Israel as ambassador and diplomat.
A Masters in History from Delhi University, 57-year-old Menon will have a nearly three-year tenure. He also had a stint in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) as an Adviser.
Foreign diplomacy is in the veins of the Palat Tharavad (family) of Shiv Shankar Menon hailing from Ottapalam in Palakkad district district of Kerala. Mr. K.P.S. Menon (senior),India's first foreign secretary, is his grandfather and Mr. K.P.S. Menon (junior), former Indian ambassador to China, is his uncle. His father P.N. Menon was also a career diplomat and served as the ambassador of Yugoslavia in his last days.
Mr. Shivshankar Menon maintains close contact with his `tharavad.' He is also associated with the work of the Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair Foundation.
His stint in Beijing was also significant as it marked improvement in Sino-India relations, the high point being the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.