Meera Shankar (9 October 1950) served as India's Ambassador to the United States of America [1] from 2009 to 2011. She was India's second female ambassador to the United States of America, Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit being the first. She was succeeded by Nirupama Rao on August 1,2011.
Shankar, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1973 batch, was posted in Washington DC from 1991 to 1995. She succeeds Ambassador Ronen Sen. She studied at the reputed St.Mary's Convent in Nainital.
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Meera Shankar served as Director in the Prime Minister’s Office from 1985 to 1991, and in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry from 1991 to 1995. While serving in the Ministry of External Affairs, she headed two important divisions dealing with the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and relations with Nepal and Bhutan.
Prior to 2009, she served as India's Ambassador in Berlin, Germany.
Shankar will be the first serving diplomat to be posted in Washington in more than two decades after G.Shankar Bajpai.
In 2003, she achieved the rank of Additional Secretary, she held the responsibility for the United Nations and International Security.
Meera Shankar is married to Ajay Shankar, IAS officer of the 1973 batch, who retired as secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. Meera has a daughter Priya.
Ajay Shankar has served as Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Principal Adviser in the Planning Commission, Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Chief Executive Officer of Greater NOIDA Industrial Development Authority and Secretary to the Lt Governor of Delhi etc. Mr. Shankar has rich and varied experience in the Central and State Governments in industrial promotion, the energy sector and urban management and development. He joined the IAS in 1973. He has been a Non Executive Independent Director of Tata Global Beverages Limited since April 30, 2010. Mr. Shankar received an MA in Political Science from Allahabad University and an M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
Meera Shankar was in the news after she underwent a "pat down" check at a USA airport in Dec 2010.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ronen Sen |
Indian Ambassador to the United States 2009- |
Succeeded by Nirupama Rao |