US officials, Indian Americans attend the event held on September 21.
By Surekha Vijh
WASHINGTON, DC: Ambassador Arun K. Singh was given a fond farewell at a well-attended function at the Embassy of India here on September 21. The attendees at the event, hosted by the embassy, included US officials and Indian American community.
Addressing the gathering, Charge d’Affaires Taranjit Singh Sandhu praised Singh’s 37-year tenure in the Indian Foreign Service. Singh, who became India’s ambassador to the United States in May 2015, retired from service on August 31.
Prior to becoming India’s chief diplomat in the US, he was Ambassador of India to France in Paris. Before that he served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy at Washington, DC, for five years. His other high-profile positions included as ambassador to Israel in 2005 and as a Joint Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi from 2000 to 2005.
Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1979, after completing his master’s degree in economics from Delhi University, and teaching briefly at the same university.
Sandhu recalled that he had the opportunity to work with Singh many times during these years and it was always great to be working with him.
Speaking on the occasion, Patrick F. Kennedy, Under Secretary for Management at the Department of State, said India-US relations were the best during Singh’s tenure here and quite a lot credit goes to the former envoy, who worked hard with the Department of State on many pertinent issues.
Kennedy said that they were very happy the US and India now enjoy a great friendship. The deepening strategic partnership between the United States and India was rooted in shared values of freedom, he added.
In his remarks, Singh said he has special connection to Washington. During his tenure as an ambassador, he was able to do his part in bringing the two countries closer, he said, adding that India and the US now enjoy a great partnership. It was wonderful to see India and the US having strategic partnership in many key areas, he said.
Navtej Sarna, an author-columnist, diplomat, who is currently the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, succeeds Singh as the new Indian ambassador to the US.
