Shashi Tharoor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shashi Tharoor
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Tharoor in 2021
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| Pronunciation | [ʃɐʃi t̪ɐɾuːr] |
| Born | 9 March 1956 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi (BA) Tufts University (MA, MALD, PhD) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
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Works
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Bibliography |
| Political party | Indian National Congress (2008–present) |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours |
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| Chairman of Committee on External Affairs | |
| Assumed office 26 September 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister | S. Jaishankar |
| Preceded by | P. P. Chaudhary |
| Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development | |
| In office 28 October 2012 – 26 May 2014 |
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| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister | Kapil Sibal M. M. Pallam Raju |
| Preceded by | Daggubati Purandeswari |
| Succeeded by | Upendra Kushwaha |
| Union Minister of State for External Affairs | |
| In office 28 May 2009 – 18 April 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister | S. M. Krishna |
| Preceded by | Anand Sharma |
| Succeeded by | E. Ahamed |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 31 May 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Pannyan Raveendran |
| Constituency | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
| United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information | |
| In office 1 June 2002 – 9 February 2007 |
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| Secretary General | Kofi Annan |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Kiyotaka Akasaka |
| Chairman of Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology | |
| In office 13 September 2019 – 12 September 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Anurag Thakur |
| Succeeded by | Nishikant Dubey |
| Chairman of Standing Committee on Chemicals & Fertilizers | |
| In office 13 September 2022 – 12 September 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Kanimozhi Karunanidhi |
| Succeeded by | Kirti Azad |
| Founder-Chairman of the All India Professionals Congress | |
| In office 1 August 2017 – 15 November 2023 |
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| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Praveen Chakravarty |
| Writing career | |
| Language | English |
| Period | Postmodern |
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| Years active | 1964–present |
| Notable works |
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Shashi Tharoor, born on March 9, 1956, is a well-known Indian politician, writer, and former diplomat. He has been a Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Committee on External Affairs.
Before joining politics, Tharoor worked for the United Nations. He was an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and even ran for the post of Secretary-General in 2006. He is also the founder of the All India Professionals Congress. Tharoor has written many books and was recognized as a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Shashi Tharoor was born in London, United Kingdom. His parents, Chandran Tharoor and Sulekha Menon, were from Palakkad, Kerala. He has two younger sisters, Shobha and Smitha. His uncle, Parameshwaran Tharoor, founded Reader's Digest in India.
Tharoor's father worked in different cities like London, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi. When Shashi was two, his parents moved back to India. He attended Montfort School, Yercaud, then Campion School, Mumbai (1963–68), and St. Xavier's Collegiate School in Kolkata (1969–71).
In 1975, Tharoor earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from St Stephen's College, University of Delhi. He was also the president of the student union there. Later that year, he moved to the United States. He studied at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. He earned his M.A. in 1976, his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy in 1977, and his Ph.D. in International Relations and Affairs in 1978. At 22, he was the youngest person to receive a doctorate from the Fletcher School.
Diplomatic Career at the UN
Starting at the United Nations
Tharoor began his career at the United Nations in 1978. He worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. From 1981 to 1984, he led the UNHCR office in Singapore. During this time, he helped Vietnamese refugees and processed cases for Polish and Acehnese refugees.
After working at UNHCR headquarters, Tharoor moved to New York in 1989. He became a special assistant for political affairs. He then led the team for peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia until 1996. He spent a lot of time there during the civil war.
Leadership Roles at the UN
In 1996, Tharoor became Director of Communications and Executive Assistant to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. In 2001, he was appointed Interim Head of the Department of Public Information (DPI). He became the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information (UNDPI) in 2002. In this role, he managed the UN's communication strategy.
He also worked to improve the UN's image. In 2003, he was given the extra job of United Nations Coordinator for Multilingualism. During his time at UNDPI, Tharoor made many changes. He organized the first UN seminars on Antisemitism and Islamophobia. He left the UN on April 1, 2007.
Running for UN Secretary-General in 2006
In 2006, the government of India nominated Tharoor for the top job at the United Nations. If he had won, he would have been the second-youngest Secretary-General ever. India wanted to show it was ready to play a bigger role at the UN.
Tharoor finished second in the voting, behind Ban Ki-moon of South Korea. In the final round, Ban was the only candidate not blocked by a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Tharoor then withdrew his name.
After the United Nations
After leaving the UN in 2007, Tharoor was considered for various roles. He became chairman of Afras Ventures, a company in Dubai. This company set up the Afras Academy for Business Communication (AABC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This is the city where he would later win four parliamentary elections.
He also traveled the world, giving speeches about India and Kerala. Before starting his political career, Tharoor served on several important boards. These included the board of overseers for the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He was also an international adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross from 2008 to 2011.
Political Career in India
Joining the Government
Shashi Tharoor chose to join the Indian National Congress party because he felt it matched his beliefs. In March 2009, he ran in the Indian General elections for the Congress Party. He won the election from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, by a large number of votes.
He then became a Minister of State in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government. On May 28, 2009, he was sworn in as Minister of State for External Affairs. His responsibilities included Africa, Latin America, and the Gulf region. He also managed consular services and passport issues.
Tharoor was one of the first politicians in India to use social media. He was India's most-followed politician on Twitter for some time. In April 2010, Tharoor resigned from his position. This happened after questions were raised about his involvement with an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team. He denied any wrongdoing and asked for a full investigation.
Between 2010 and 2012, Tharoor remained active in Parliament. He was part of several important committees. He also took part in many debates in the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of Parliament.
In 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought Tharoor back into the government. He was given the role of Minister of State for Human Resource Development. In this job, he focused on adult education and improving research in schools. He believed education was important for India's future and security.
As a Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor was the first elected representative in India to publish annual reports on his work. These reports included details of how he spent funds for local development.
In Opposition
In May 2014, Tharoor was re-elected from Thiruvananthapuram. He became a member of the 16th Lok Sabha, sitting in the Opposition. He was named Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.
Tharoor has often spoken his mind, even if it means disagreeing with his own party. He believes that politicians should be able to praise good work done by the government, even if it's from an opposing party.
In March 2017, Tharoor suggested that the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata should become a museum. This museum would show the effects of British colonial rule in India. He argued that the British had taken wealth from India and left it much poorer. He also called for the British government to pay "colonial reparations" to India.
Tharoor has also tried to introduce new laws in Parliament. For example, he tried to change Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. This law was later changed by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, which supported Tharoor's view. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, he was re-elected to Parliament.
Even while in the Opposition, the Modi-led government appointed him to important roles. In 2019, he became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology. On September 26, 2024, he was appointed Chairman of the Committee on External Affairs.
Speeches and Views
Tharoor is known for his excellent speaking skills. His speeches are very popular online, especially on YouTube. For example, his Shashi Tharoor's Oxford Union speech in 2015, where he argued that "Britain owes reparations to her former colonies," has been viewed millions of times. This speech is often praised in Indian schools.
He also gives speeches explaining important ideas like "soft power" and the impact of education in India. These speeches have also gained millions of views. Tharoor is known for his deep understanding of economics, history, and global politics. He strongly supports the idea of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. He believes the UN needs to be more open to elected representatives.
Many people admire Tharoor for his intelligence, humor, and charm. These qualities make him easy to understand and highly respected in India and around the world. He even did a stand-up comedy act for an Amazon Prime Video series called One Mic Stand.
Literary Career
Tharoor has been a columnist for major Indian newspapers. He wrote for The Hindu (2001–2008) and had a weekly column in the Times of India (2007–2008). After leaving his minister position, he started writing a column on foreign policy for the Deccan Chronicle. His articles and book reviews have also appeared in international newspapers like The Washington Post and The New York Times.
He started writing at age 6. His first published story appeared when he was 10. His adventure novel Operation Bellows was serialized when he was almost 11. His famous book The Great Indian Novel has been reprinted many times. Former US President Bill Clinton even mentioned Tharoor's book India From Midnight to the Millennium in a speech in 2000.
Tharoor often gives lectures about India. He once said, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay." He also compared India to a "thali" (a plate with different dishes). He said, "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali – a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."
His non-fiction book An Era of Darkness, also known as Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, came from his speech at the Oxford Union. Published in 2016, it became a bestseller. Since then, he has written Why I Am A Hindu (2018) and The Paradoxical Prime Minister (2018). These books discuss important questions about India's identity and leadership.
In September 2019, he published The Hindu Way: An Introduction. In 2020, he co-authored The New World Disorder And the Indian Imperative. This book looks at the current global challenges and India's role in creating a fairer international order.
Personal Life
Shashi Tharoor has two sons, Kanishk and Ishaan, with his first wife, Tilottama Mukherji. Ishaan writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. Kanishk is an author.
Tharoor later married Christa Giles, a Canadian diplomat. His third marriage was to businesswoman Sunanda Pushkar in 2010. Sadly, Sunanda Pushkar passed away in 2014.
Tharoor is a vegetarian. He is proud to be a "worshipping" and "believing Hindu." He has read a lot of the Upanishads, which are ancient Hindu texts. In April 2019, Tharoor had an accident during a religious ritual at a temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
Community Service
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated Shashi Tharoor as one of the first nine celebrities to promote cleanliness and hygiene. This was part of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Tharoor helped by cleaning the Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram.
Advisor Roles
Currently, Tharoor is on the Board of Advisors for India's International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.).
Honours and Awards
- 1976 – Rajika Kripalani Young Journalist Award
- 1990 – Hindustan Times Literary Award for The Great Indian Novel
- 1991 – Commonwealth Writers' Prize for The Great Indian Novel
- 1998 – Excelsior Award for literature
- 1998 – Global Leader of Tomorrow, World Economic Forum
- 2004 – Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (India's highest honor for non-resident Indians)
- 2009 – Zakir Hussain Memorial "Pride of India" Award
- 2009 – Inspiration of the Year Award at GQ's Man of the Year Awards
- 2009 – Hakim Khan Sur Award for National Integration
- 2010 – Sarva Deshiya Prathibha Award
- 2010 – "New Age Politician of the Year" Award, NDTV
- 2010 – Fifth IILM Distinguished Global Thinker Award
- 2010 – Digital person of the year, Indian Digital Media Awards (IDMA)
- 2012 – Commander of the Order of Charles III by the King of Spain
- 2013 – First Sree Narayan Guru Global Secular and Peace Award
- 2013 – PETA's "Person of the Year"
- 2019 – Sahitya Akademi Award for An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India
- 2022 – Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur from France
Honorary Degrees
- Honorary Doctor of Letters in International Affairs from University of Puget Sound
- Doctor Honoris Causa in history from University of Bucharest
