Former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, on Tuesday, joined BJP. He is likely to be fielded from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat from where another former IFS Hardeep Singh Puri has contested in the last elections. Puri was later elected in Rajya Sabha and made minister of UDH and petroleum even after being defeated in the Lok Sabha elections.
Apart from Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP has another former IFS in S Jaishankar who is the external affairs minister.
Who is Taranjit Singh Sandhu?
Taranjit Singh Sandhu is a career diplomat, who started his career in the former Soviet Union (Russia) where he worked as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial) in the Indian Mission from 1990 to 1992.
He also served as Ambassador to the United States from February 2020 to January 2024. He is one of the most experienced former diplomats on US affairs, having served in the Indian Mission in Washington DC.
Before his assignment in Washington DC, Sandhu was High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka from January 2017 to January 2020. He had also served at the High Commission of India, Colombo earlier as the Head of the Political Wing from December 2000 to September 2004.
Sandhu was Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013. He has worked in the Ministry of External Affairs in various capacities: as Joint Secretary (UN) from March 2009 to August 2011; and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Division. He also served as an Officer on Special Duty (Press Relations), at the Ministry of External Affairs from December 1995 to March 1997.
Born on 23 January 1963, Sandhu studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens' College, Delhi. He pursued a Master's Degree in International Relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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