Kamalesh Sharma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kamalesh Sharma
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Sharma in 2015
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| 5th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | |
| In office 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2016 |
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| Head | Elizabeth II |
| Chair |
See list
Yoweri Museveni
(Uganda) Patrick Manning (Trinidad & Tobago) Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Trinidad & Tobago) Julia Gillard (Australia) Kevin Rudd (Australia) Tony Abbott (Australia) Mahinda Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka) Maithripala Sirisena (Sri Lanka) Joseph Muscat (Malta) |
| Preceded by | Don McKinnon |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Scotland of Asthal |
| 9th Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast | |
| In office 10 December 2009 – 25 April 2015 |
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| Preceded by | George J. Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Thomas J. Moran |
| Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations | |
| In office 7 August 1997 – 27 May 2002 |
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| Secretary General | Kofi Annan |
| President | Kocheril Raman Narayanan |
| Preceded by | Prakash Shah |
| Succeeded by | Vijay K. Nambiar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 September 1941 Benares, Benares State, British India (present-day Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | St. Stephen's College, Delhi Delhi University King's College, Cambridge Cambridge University |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Kamalesh Sharma (born 30 September 1941) is a retired Indian diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. He was the fifth Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2008 to 2016.
Before this important role, he was India's top representative in the United Kingdom. This role is called the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. He held this position from 2004 to 2008. Mr. Sharma is also the Chancellor Emeritus of Queen's University Belfast, which means he is a former head of the university.
Contents
Education and Early Life
Kamalesh Sharma went to school at the Modern School in New Delhi. He also studied at St. Stephen's College in Delhi. Later, he attended King's College, Cambridge in the United Kingdom. These experiences helped him prepare for his future career in international relations.
A Career in Diplomacy
Kamalesh Sharma worked as an officer in the Indian Foreign Service for many years, from 1965 to 2002. This service is like a team of diplomats who represent India around the world.
Representing India at the UN
From August 1997 to May 2002, he was India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. This means he was India's main voice and representative at the UN, an organization where countries work together for peace and cooperation.
Special Roles and High Commissioner
After retiring from the Indian Foreign Service in 2002, he took on other important roles. From 2002 to 2004, he was a special representative for the UN Secretary General in East Timor. This role involved helping East Timor, a new country, get started.
Then, from 2004 to 2008, he served as the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. In this job, he was India's chief diplomat in the UK, working to strengthen ties between the two countries.
He is also a Vice-President of the Royal Commonwealth Society. This society works to promote the values of the Commonwealth.
Leading the Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations is a group of countries that were once part of the British Empire. They now work together on shared goals like democracy, human rights, and development. The Secretary-General is the main leader of the Commonwealth.
Election and Re-election
Kamalesh Sharma was chosen as the Secretary-General during a big meeting in Kampala, Uganda, in November 2007. He officially started his role on 1 April 2008, taking over from Sir Don McKinnon.
He was re-elected for a second term on 30 October 2011. His second term began on 1 April 2012 and ended on 31 March 2016.
Focus Areas as Secretary-General
During his eight years as Secretary-General, Mr. Sharma focused on several key areas:
- Empowering Young People: He worked to help young people in Commonwealth countries have more opportunities.
- Advancing Women's Rights: He championed women's political and economic rights.
- Supporting Small States: He raised awareness about the unique challenges faced by smaller countries in the Commonwealth.
Many people praised his work. Arif Zaman, from the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network, called him a "passionate, active and dedicated champion for women." Hugo Swire, a UK Minister, noted that Sharma "helped to guide the Commonwealth through a period of significant challenges." He also mentioned the introduction of the Commonwealth Charter, a document outlining the Commonwealth's values.
Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister of Malta, thanked Mr. Sharma for his "unflinching commitment to the Commonwealth." He added that Sharma's time as leader would "undoubtedly be a positive one."
Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast
On 9 July 2009, Kamalesh Sharma was appointed Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast. This is a largely honorary title, meaning it's a respected position without day-to-day management duties.
The university stated that he helped build stronger connections between Northern Ireland and India. These connections led to India investing in businesses in Northern Ireland. Mr. Sharma said he was very proud to be given this role at Queen's University. He served as Chancellor until April 2015.
