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Ruchira Kamboj, India's first woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has retired after a distinguished 35-year career. Appointed in August 2022, Kamboj played a crucial role in international discussions during her tenure. Her career includes significant diplomatic assignments in France, Bhutan, South Africa, and the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. Fluent in three languages, Kamboj has left an indelible mark on Indian diplomacy.
After an outstanding 35-year career, Indian diplomat and pioneer Ruchira Kamboj has retired. On August 2, 2022, Kamboj—who made history as the first female Permanent Representative of India to the UN—was named to this esteemed post. She has successfully negotiated difficult international talks over the last two years, especially in light of the continuous crises between Israel and Hamas and Russia and Ukraine.
A Stellar Career
Ruchira Kamboj diplomatic career started in Paris, where she worked from 1989 to 1991 as the Third Secretary at the Indian Embassy in France. Later, from 2002 to 2005, she served as counselor at India’s Permanent Mission in the UN in New York, where she worked on a range of political problems such as Middle East peacekeeping, UN Security Council reform, and UN peacekeeping.
Kamboj has held a number of important roles over her career, including the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat’s Deputy Head of the Office of the Secretary-General. She was India’s Chief of Protocol from 2011 to 2014, the first and only woman to fill this role.
Diplomatic Assignments and Achievements
Starting in February 2019, Kamboj’s term as the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan was defined by a number of significant efforts. She was accredited to the Kingdom of Lesotho from July 2017 until early 2019, in addition to her role as India’s High Commissioner to South Africa. Her vast diplomatic experience includes a three-year tenure at UNESCO in Paris, where she was invited back to India in May 2014 to manage Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration.
A Legacy of Excellence
Kamboj has made outstanding contributions to Indian diplomacy. Speaking Hindi, English, and French with ease, she has established herself as an Indian representative abroad. Kamboj wrote on X, “Thank you, Bharat, for the extraordinary years and unforgettable experiences,” as she considered her career.
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