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MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup named envoy to Canada, Baglay to replace him
Gopal Baglay, the diplomat who heads the division dealing with Pakistan, could soon become the foreign ministry’s new spokesperson as incumbent Vikas Swarup has been appointed the high commissioner to Canada.
Gopal Baglay, the diplomat who heads the division dealing with Pakistan, could soon become the foreign ministry’s new spokesperson as incumbent Vikas Swarup has been appointed the high commissioner to Canada.
Baglay, who belongs to the 1992 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has handled media in his previous stint as press counsellor at the embassy in Kathmandu as well as a director in the external publicity division of the ministry of external affairs (MEA).
He served as deputy high commissioner to Pakistan and, at present, heads the foreign ministry’s territorial division of PAI, which stands for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
Swarup, a 1986-batch officer, is expected to join his new assignment shortly.
He is popular as the author of the novel, Q&A, which was adapted as Slumdog Millionaire, the Danny Boyle film that was adjudged the best film in the 2009 Oscars. The diplomat-author has written two more novels — Six Suspects, and The Accidental Apprentice.
Swarup had replaced Syed Akbaruddin, the ministry’s popular voice on social media.
He had served as joint secretary (UN-political) at the ministry, and was posted in Turkey, the US, Britain and South Africa.
He joined the IFS after studying history, psychology, and philosophy at Allahabad University.
