Dr. Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician, author, and former diplomat, currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, a position he has held since 2009. He is a senior leader in the Indian National Congress (INC) and has previously served as Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Human Resource Development during the UPA government. (Wikipedia, Shashi Tharoor)
Born on March 9, 1956, in London to Malayali parents, Tharoor was raised in India and pursued higher education in the United States. He earned a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University at the age of 22, making him the youngest recipient of such a degree from the institution at that time. (Wikipedia)
Tharoor's career at the United Nations spanned nearly three decades, during which he rose to the rank of Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. In 2006, he was India's official candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, finishing as the runner-up to Ban Ki-moon. (Wikipedia, Gale)
As an author, Tharoor has written extensively on Indian history, culture, and politics. His notable works include The Great Indian Novel, Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, Why I Am a Hindu, and Ambedkar: A Life. His 2015 speech at the Oxford Union, advocating for British reparations to India for colonial exploitation, garnered widespread acclaim and led to the publication of Inglorious Empire. (Gale, Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
In recent developments, Tharoor has been appointed to lead a parliamentary delegation as part of India's "Operation Sindoor," a diplomatic initiative aimed at countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. This appointment has caused friction within the Congress party, as the government bypassed the party's recommended list of representatives. Tharoor's acceptance of the role, along with his public support for the government's stance on the India-Pakistan conflict, has led to internal criticism and speculation about his alignment within the party. (@EconomicTimes, The Times of India, The Times of India)
For more information about Dr. Shashi Tharoor, you can visit his official website or follow him on Instagram.
