The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) got a new spokesperson on Monday with Anurag Srivastava replacing Raveesh Kumar as the Joint Secretary (External Publicity). Srivastava, an officer of the 1999 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), was India’s ambassador to Ethiopia before he was appointed as the new spokesperson of the MEA. He earlier headed the Political Wing at the High Commission of India in Colombo.
Time to pass the baton.
— Raveesh Kumar (@raveesh_kumar) April 6, 2020
After 33 months of an incredible opportunity to serve the nation, my best wishes to Anurag Srivastava as the next Official Spokesperson of @MEAIndia. Grateful for the understanding and support of my family, friends & colleagues during this journey. pic.twitter.com/VXKGqYvbL0
He served at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in Geneva. He also held different positions at the MEA headquarters in New Delhi, including in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division and as Director of the Finance Division.
Kumar had been appointed as the Joint Secretary in charge of the External Publicity Division and the spokesperson of the MEA in August 2017. He is now likely to be appointed as New Delhi’s envoy to a foreign nation.