Indian diplomats lead pre-Yoga Day sessions held across the globe; Yoga lights up at UN

INDIAN embassy in Washington DC releases this photo of Ambassador Navtej Sarna participating in a Yoga session ahead of the International Day of Yoga on June 21. In a Twitter post, the embassy then quotes this 1980 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer as saying: “Healthy individuals lead to healthy societies and thereby global peace”. Hundreds of people practised Yoga at the historic National Mall. Sarna is also an author with the novel…

Indian bureaucrats are demonstrating their creativity and photo skills in the getup of their social media handles

THIS photo says it all: There are colours, excitement, movement and happiness. This is the cover photo of the Twitter handle of Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In this era of social media when every diplomat or bureaucrat can express their creativity, design and photography skills in their individual handles, BoI lists some of the innovative cover photos of the Twitter handles of Indian bureaucrats after examining about 350 of those.

Yoga practice sessions begin in the run-up to June 21 celebrations; senior Haryana bureaucrats forced to wake up early today

IN THE run-up to the International Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh on June 21, which is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bureaucrats from Haryana to New York have swung into action in holding or even participating in practice sessions. Senior bureaucrats in Haryana, many of whom were visibly reluctant, had to wake up early in the morning today (Tuesday) as the state chief secretary issued a…

Rockstar diplomat Syed Akbaruddin; Why this IFS is the most popular bureaucrat in India today

Akbaruddin with PM Modi on the last day as MEA spokesman

AS THE news of 1985 batch Indian Foreign Service officer Syed Akbaruddin’s appointment as India’s Permanent Representative to UN spread on Monday, Akbaruddin himself became the talking point in social media, as he was trending among the Top 10 Twitter trends in India. Also, this former spokesman of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) also opened a Twitter account where he said, “It is a privilege & honour to serve India @UN. Am humbled. Thank U for all the good wishes. Will strive to do my best”, and within a couple of hours thousands of people followed him. As this article is being…

Mega IFS Reshuffle: Akbaruddin new Indian envoy to UN; Vijay Gokhale to be Indian ambassador to China

Diplomat Akbaruddin trying a selfie with PM Modi (File Photo)

IN A major reshuffle, a number of diplomats are set to take up new assignments. Many a key mission such as Beijing, London, Moscow, Islamabad and Tokyo will now have new diplomats at the helm. Here are the 12 diplomats and their new postings:

Devyani Khobragade Row: MEA spokesperson’s reply to US prosecutor Preet Bharara’s statement, full text here

INDIAN diplomat Devyani Khobragade might have been shifted to Indian permanent mission to UN to ensure full diplomatic immunity to her in the backdrop of her arrest over alleged visa frauds in America, but the row is still continuing. US prosecutor Preet Bharara said she was not handcuffed. He said: “She (Khobragade) was not, as has been incorrectly reported, arrested in front of her children. The agents arrested her in the most discreet way possible, and unlike most defendants, she was not then handcuffed or restrained." It prompted ministry of external affairs…