Meera Shankar facts for kids
{{Infobox person | name = Meera Shankar | image = Meera Shankar at U.S.-India People to People Conference cropped.jpg | alt = | caption = Meera Shankar at the U.S.-India People to People Conference in 2010 | birth_name = Meera Yadav | birth_date = 9 October 1950 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = | module =
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Meera Shankar is an important diplomat from India. She served as India's Ambassador to the United States of America from 2009 to 2011. This was a very important job! She was only the second woman from India to hold this position in the U.S. The first was Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit. Nirupama Rao took over from her in 2011. Before becoming ambassador, Meera Shankar worked in Washington, D.C., from 1991 to 1995.
Contents
Early Life and Career Journey
Meera Shankar went to St. Mary's Convent in Nainital. Later, she graduated from St. Bede's College, Shimla. In 1973, she joined the Indian Foreign Service. This is a special group of people who represent India in other countries.
Shankar worked in the Prime Minister’s Office from 1985 to 1991. She also worked for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry from 1991 to 1995. While working for the Ministry of External Affairs, she led teams that handled relations with countries in the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC). This included working with Nepal and Bhutan.
Before 2009, she was India's Ambassador in Berlin, Germany. In 2003, she became an Additional Secretary. In this role, she was in charge of topics related to the United Nations and international safety.
Other Important Work
Meera Shankar is also part of the Board of Trustees for the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft. This is a group linked to Deutsche Bank. In 2012, she made history again. She became the first woman to join the board of directors of the big Indian company ITC.
Personal Life
Meera Shankar is married to Ajay Shankar. He is also a government officer from the same year as her. They have a daughter named Priya.
See also
- List of ambassadors to the United States
- Embassy of India in Washington, D.C.
| Ambassador of India to the United States | |
|---|---|
| In office 2009–2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Ronen Sen |
| Succeeded by | Nirupama Rao |
