The recent G-20 Summit hosted by India faced a daunting challenge – forging consensus among member countries on the contentious Russia-Ukraine conflict. Amitabh Kant, the G-20 Sherpa, shed light on this remarkable achievement.
He praised the relentless efforts of two Indian Foreign Service officers, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur and Eenam Gambhir, who played pivotal roles in these negotiations.
A Herculean task was to bring about consensus on geopolitical issues, especially one as delicate as the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It demanded over 200 hours of ceaseless negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings, and the creation of 15 drafts. Amitabh Kant expressed his gratitude to these officers for their invaluable contributions.
Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, a career diplomat from Hyderabad, boasts an impressive track record. He served as the Chef de Cabinet to the President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. His earlier assignments included Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN.
Fluent in Chinese, Kakanur completed four diplomatic stints in China. Furthermore, he was the National Coordinator in establishing the International Solar Alliance in India, an organization with General Assembly Observer status.
Eenam Gambhir, an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 2005 batch, also made significant contributions. Currently serving as a Joint Secretary to G-20 and the Ministry of External Affairs, Gambhir handles G-20-related matters, including preparations for India’s G-20 Presidency. Before this, she served as a senior adviser on Peace and Security issues at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Gambhir holds two master’s degrees, one in mathematics from Delhi University and another in advanced international security from the University of Geneva. She gained global recognition for her steadfast response to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, at the UN Security Council in October 2019.
Amitabh Kant’s acknowledgement of these diplomats highlights their instrumental role in navigating the diplomatic intricacies of the G-20 Summit. Their dedication and expertise helped India achieve a diplomatic triumph on the world stage.
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