Dr. Virander Paul
Ambassador of India to Türkiye
Dr. Virander Paul joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1991.
Before arriving in Ankara as Ambassador of India to Türkiye, he was India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Ambassador to Somalia, and Ambassador / Permanent Representative of India to UNEP and UN-HABITAT. Prior to that, he served as Additional Secretary (BIMSTEC, SAARC & Nalanda) in the Ministry of External Affairs, dealing with multilateral engagement in India’s neighbourhood and Joint Secretary at Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (formerly Foreign Service Institute), a premier institution of India for the training of Indian and foreign diplomats.
He earlier served as Ambassador / Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva (2016-2019), Deputy High Commissioner of India in London (2013-2016), Minister (Press) at the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. (2010-2013), Director in the Prime Minister’s Office during 2007-2010, and Counsellor (Political) at the Indian Embassy in Moscow from 2003-2007. He also held diplomatic positions in the Indian Missions in Almaty, Vladivostok, Rome and St. Petersburg. During his other previous stints at the Ministry of External Affairs Headquarters, he served in Europe East and Americas Divisions.
He holds a medical degree from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He speaks Punjabi, Hindi, English, and Russian.
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