Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended warm birthday greetings to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, praising his distinguished service to the nation and his pivotal role in strengthening India’s foreign policy and global engagement.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Best wishes to Dr. S. Jaishankar Ji on his birthday. He has served the nation as a distinguished diplomat and is now playing a key role in strengthening India’s foreign policy and ties with the world. Praying for his long and healthy life.”
Born on January 9, 1955, in New Delhi, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has been serving as India’s External Affairs Minister since 2019.
Before entering politics, Jaishankar had a long and distinguished diplomatic career spanning more than four decades. He served as India’s Foreign Secretary – the highest bureaucratic post in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) – from 2015 to 2018. Prior to that, he held several key diplomatic assignments, including as India’s Ambassador to China (2009-2013) and the United States (2013–2015).
Jaishankar was born into a Tamil family. His father, Krishnaswamy Subrahmanyam, was a respected bureaucrat and strategic affairs analyst.
He completed his schooling in New Delhi and Bengaluru, graduated from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Political Science, followed by an M.Phil. and a PhD in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1977.
After retiring from the IFS in 2018, Jaishankar briefly worked in the private sector before being invited by PM Modi to join the Union Cabinet. In May 2019, he was appointed External Affairs Minister and was later elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat as a BJP candidate.
(IANS)
