Kamalesh Sharma
| Kamalesh Sharma | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 1 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Don McKinnon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 September 1941 British India |
H.E Kamalesh Sharma (born 30 September 1941)[1] is the current Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2008, having previously served as the High Commissioner for India in London.[2]
Kamalesh Sharma is an alumnus of the Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, St. Stephen's College in Delhi and King's College, Cambridge.[3] Sharma was an officer in the Indian Foreign Service from 1965 to 2001. He served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations before his retirement from IFS. From 2002 to 2004, he served as U.N. Secretary General's special representative to East Timor. He was appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Britain in 2004. He is a Vice-President of the Royal Commonwealth Society. He is also the Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast (from July 2009)[4][5]
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[edit] Commonwealth Secretary-General
Sharma was elected to the position of secretary-general over Michael Frendo, foreign minister of Malta, during the biennial Commonwealth summit in Kampala, Uganda held from 22 November to 24 November 2007.[6] He took over from Sir Don McKinnon of New Zealand on 1 April 2008.[7]
Sharma was re-elected on 30 October 2011 at the 2011 CHOGM. He was unopposed, having been proposed by India and seconded by Pakistan. His second term will begin on 1 April 2012.
[edit] Chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast
On 9 July 2009 Sharma was appointed Chancellor of The Queen's University of Belfast after the retirement of Senator George J. Mitchell.[8] Queen's says he was responsible for cementing relations between Northern Ireland and India which led to the country's investment in Northern Ireland businesses.[8] The position is a largely honorary title and Sharma said he was enormously proud to be given the job at Queen's.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ "New Permanent Representative of India Presents Credentials". United Nations. 4 August 1997. http://www.un.org/news/Press/docs/1997/19970804.BIO3087.html. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ^ "Kamalesh Sharma is new Commonwealth Secretary-General". Commonwealth Secretariat. http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/172993/241107newsg.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ "Kamalesh Sharma, Indian High Commissioner". Judge Business School, Cambridge. Archived from the original on 2007-11-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20071115161102/http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/mba/networks/seminar_popups/sharma.html. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ http://www.qub.ac.uk/temp/New_Chancellor.html
- ^ "India to field Kamalesh Sharma for C'wealth job". The Hindu. 2007-06-07. http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/07/stories/2007060706971200.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ "Kamlesh Sharma for C'wealth top job". Times Now. 2007-11-24. Archived from the original on 2007-11-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20071127212710/http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=4488. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ "Indian diplomat to be new head of Commonwealth". Reuters, Africa. 2007-11-24. http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnB614830.html. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ a b c "Queen's appoints new chancellor". BBC News. 9 July 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8142381.stm. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
[edit] External links
- Biography of Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretariat
- Interview with Kamalesh Sharma - broadcast by Radio France Internationale, October 5, 2011
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| Academic offices | ||
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| Preceded by Senator George Mitchell |
Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast 2009–Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
