NEW YORK (TIP): Ambassador T S Tirumurti, India’s new Permanent Representative to the UN, presented his credentials virtually May 20 as he assumed charge as the Ambassador. He succeeds Syed Akbaruddin, who is set to retire this month.

“Privileged to take over…as Permanent Representative of India to the UN in New York. During these COVID-19 times, I was the second Ambassador/ Permanent Representative to the UN to present virtual credentials!” Tirumurti who arrived in New York on May 19 tweeted.

Ambassador T. S. Tirumurti is a senior career Indian diplomat with extensive multilateral experience.  Since joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1985, he has represented India’s interests in various capacities, promoting friendly ties across the globe.

Prior to his assignment as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ambassador Tirumurti was Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs handling Gulf, Arab world, Africa, Development Partnership and Economic Relations portfolio since February 2018.

He previously served at the Indian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt as Third/Second Secretary, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, Switzerland, was the first Indian Representative to the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and served as Counsellor at the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C., USA. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia and as India’s High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He served as Under Secretary (Bhutan), Director (Foreign Secretary’s Office), Joint Secretary (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives) and Joint Secretary (United Nations Economic and Social) during his stints at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Ambassador Tirumurti has bachelor’s degrees in Commerce and in Law. He is proficient in English, Hindi, Tamil and Arabic. He is author of three books – Kissing the Heavens: The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (1999), Clive Avenue (2002) and Chennaivasi (2012).

Ambassador Tirumurti is married to Mrs. Gowri Tirumurti, partner in law firm M/s Anand & Anand, which specializes in intellectual property rights. The couple has two children – daughter, Bhavani and son, Vishwajit.

Ambassador Tirumurti has taken over as India’s PR to the United Nations at a time when UN is faced with a number of contentious issues, among them the belligerent attitude of President Trump towards the UN, particularly, towards the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the agency of misrepresenting the facts with regard to COVID-19. Even as US president is fuming against WHO, the news is in that India is the new chairman of WHO. The country’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will be occupying the chair.