India names new envoy to Indonesia
Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 03/14/2008 12:54 PM
India recently named Biren Nanda, an adept diplomat, to be its new ambassador to Indonesia, Indian Embassy's charge d'affaires Muktesh Pardeshi said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Nanda, who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1978, is currently working as a joint secretary (South) at the Ministry of External Affairs in India.
As head of the "southern division", Nanda deals with India's relations with ASEAN countries, excluding Myanmar, and the Pacific region.
"He visited Indonesia several times as a joint secretary," Pardeshi told The Jakarta Post.
Pardeshi said Nanda was set to arrive in Indonesia very soon.
Nanda graduated from St. Stephens College in Delhi in 1974 and earned a master's degree at the Delhi School of Economics in 1976.
"Ambassador Nanda comes from a family of scholars. His father, B.R. Nanda, is a renowned historian," Pardeshi said.
During his three decades of distinguished diplomatic service, Nanda worked in Beijing, Shanghai, Washington DC and Tokyo in various diplomatic positions.
Nanda will replace former ambassador Navrekha Sharma, who retired from India's government service in late January.
Indonesia and India are maritime neighbors with a centuries old relationship.
