India’s diplomat’s though the front face of our country in foreign land, they are hardly known to Indians, except the exceptions !! And more so is the case of Women in India Foreign Service(IFS). Very heartening to see the this recent article in Outlook magazine . No doubt the fair sex have been outperforming men in many fields considered to be men ONLY turf. IFS was definitely one among them, tradtionally women not opting it with enthusiam. Reason could have been understandable, but convention no more relevant. After the 1970’s there has been slow but steady progress.
One good point made by diplomat Ruchi Ghanashyam (India’s high commissioner to Ghana) adds value to this disucssion “a matter of pride that I live in India House at No. 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Accra. As a young girl growing up in Bhopal, I didn’t even know we had women diplomats“
Even in the past it is not that they made no impression. World turned around to see the aggressive Indian diplomacy of famous Ms.Arundathi Gosh in 1996 who thundered in Committee on Disarment(CoD) “India will not sign the CTBT . Not now, not ever!!”(she was ofcourse referring to onde sided treaty – holds good even today !!) . Ms.Chokila Iyer became the first foreign secretary. But now the trend is growing.
Given India’s stand today, it is good to see more women diplomats being given important position is good for the country – so for the wold !!
