Taranjit Sandhu appointed India's envoy to Sri Lanka

New Delhi [India], Sept.22 (ANI): The government has appointed Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the next High Commissioner of India to the Sri Lanka. A Ministry of External Affairs statement said that Mr. Sandhu, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is expected to take up his new assignment shortly. Mr. Sandhu was born on January 23, 1963. He did his schooling at The Lawrence School, Sanwar (HP) and graduated with History (Honours) from St. Stephens' college, Delhi. Mr. Sandhu has served in the former Soviet Union (Russia) from 1990 to 1992 as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial). He was instrumental in opening a new embassy in Ukraine and served as Head of Political and Administration from 1992 to 1994. On his return to India, Mr. Sandhu served as OSD (Press Relations), Ministry of External Affairs from 1994 to March 1997. He was responsible for liaison with foreign media in India. In April 1997, Mr. Sandhu joined Embassy of India, Washington, as First Secretary (Political) responsible for liaison with the US Congress. He spearheaded India's successful efforts to obtain congressional waiver of sanctions imposed on India in 1998 following nuclear tests. He served as Counsellor (Political) in the High Commission of India, Colombo from December 2000 to September 2004. He also served as Director (BSM) from September 2004 to July 2005 looking after Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar in Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. In July 2005, Mr. Sandhu joined Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, New York, where he was India's delegate to UN Committee on Peacekeeping; UN Committee on Information; UN Committee on Decolonization and Fourth Committee of UN General Assembly. Mr. Sandhu returned to Headquarters in March 2009 and held charge of Joint Secretary (United Nations) and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Department Division of Ministry of External Affairs till August 2011. He was Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013. He assumed his new assignment as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India, Washington D.C on July 29, 2013. Mr. Sandhu is married to Mrs. Reenat Sandhu, who is also an officer of Indian Foreign Service (1989 batch) and has two children. (ANI)