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Time to say goodbye
J C Sharma has led a dramatic and unusual life. And the former secretary with the ministry of external affairs won?t relax even after retirement.
J C Sharma has led a dramatic and unusual life. And the former secretary with the ministry of external affairs won’t relax even after retirement. “I’ve been serving the country for 37 years and wherever I’ve been stationed, I’ve received immense support. Now is the time to give something back,” he said at a farewell party hosted by FICCI senior vice president Onkar S Kanwar.
And there’s a lot that will keep him busy. “Having initiated the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas concept, I will continue my work. On the academic front, I am writing an Atlas on the Indian Diaspora and also revising my book on Hindu temples in Vietnam. I have also got offers from business houses for advisory positions. A big bank has also approached me. But I am still weighing the options,” he says. Clearly, he has a lot to look forward to.
Looking back at the late nights and erratic schedules that his wife Kavita Sharma, Principal Hindu College has tolerated, he laughed, “I’ll hopefully spend some more time at home now !”
Sharma tells us that the third Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is ready for a take off and the Indian Diaspora is the most extraordinary resource that the country has. “20 million people constitute the Indian Diaspora. Our global reach is unimaginable. We have at least one million people of Indian origin in various countries,” he said. “My services will always be available for two issues: The Indians residing overseas and issues related to the South East Asia. I began talking about these in the 70s. There’s no way that my retirement would stop me from dealing with them.” Wishing him all the best were a number of ministry and FICCI officials.
