Published 23:25 IST, August 16th 2019
Meet Syed Akbaruddin, the man who single-handedly shut down Pakistan at the UN and spoke for a billion
India's permanent envoy to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin scorched Pakistan at the United Nations on Friday evening, following the 'closed-doors' meeting that was held at the UNSC over the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir.
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India's permanent envoy to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin scorched Pakistan at the United Nations on Friday evening, following the 'closed-doors' meeting that was held at the UNSC over the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. After China - which had pushed for the meeting at its all-weather-friend Pakistan's behest - and Pakistan itself had spoken and it was India's turn, Akbaruddin first waxed eloquent in shaming Pakistan without naming it for its attempts to drum up trouble and threaten violence and jihad over India's internal matter, and then, took on all comers in terms of questions that were posed to him.
Meet Syed Akbaruddin, the man who single-handedly shut down Pakistan at the UN and spoke for a billion
Career:
Syed Akbaruddin is a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Services officer.
One of his first major responsibilities was when he was posted at the Indian Mission to the United Nations as First Secretary during 1995-98, and one of his tasks was with the UN Security Council Reform and Peace-Keeping.
He has also been the First Secretary in Riyadh and Second Secretary/Third Secretary in Cairo, Egypt.
In 1997-98, the civil servant was involved with the Advisory Committee on Administrative & Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) during 1997-98.
Syed Akbaruddin also has served as a Counsellor at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
The officer also was deputed as an international civil servant for four years at International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and came back to India in 2011. During this period, the positions he held were of Head of the External Relations and Policy Coordination Unit and also as the Special Assistant to the Director-General.
He has also been the First Secretary in Riyadh and Second Secretary/Third Secretary in Cairo, Egypt.
Syed Akbaruddin also served as the consul-general at Jeddah, Saudia Arabia from 2000 to 2004. The other role he has played has been as the director at the Foreign Secretary’s Office from 2004-05.
The officer served as the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs from January 2012 to April 2015. Some of the responsibilities he held were of the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy division.
He was also the chief coordinator for the India-Africa Summit in October 2015, considered a milestone summit, because all 54 member nations of the African continent had participated in this event. During this period, he was also a member of the Indian delegation to The United Nations General Assembly and participated in various bilateral and multilateral meetings.
Additional Secretary was another position he held in the Ministry of External Affairs from April 2015 to September 2015.
Syed Akbaruddin was appointed as India’s permanent representative to the United Nations by the Ministry of External Affairs in November 2015.
READ: WATCH: Syed Akbaruddin Pounces As Pakistani Journalist Spells Out The Truth Of 'internal Matter' J&K
Personal life
Syed Akbaruddin was born on April 27, 1960 to S Bashiruddin and Dr Zeba Bashiruddin. Both his parents were well-qualified names, the former also serving as an Indian ambassador to Qatar apart from top positions at various educational institutions related to journalism and film, and the latter is also a professor.
Akbaruddin has completed his Master's in Political Science and International Relations.
Syed Akbaruddin is well-versed in Arabic and his proficiency is using social media as a powerful tool has been one of the highlights of his work. Sports is one of his areas of interest.
He married Mrs. Padma Akbaruddin and the couple has two sons.
23:16 IST, August 16th 2019