Indian envoy to UK gets warm farewell

India's outgoing High Commissioner to the UK, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee was given a warm reception at the India House in London on the eve of his retirement from foreign service.

The reception, organised by the Deputy High Commissioner, Asoke Mukherji, was attended among others by leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul, NRI entrepreneur S P Hinduja, Labour MP Virendra Sharma, President of the India International Foundation Hardyal Luther and President of the Indian Overseas Congress Balwant Kapur.

Nalin Surie, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, will succeed Mukherjee.

Though Shiv Mukherjee's tenure was brief for just over a year and two months, he endeared himself to the large Indian Community in the UK and gave a fresh impetus to the India-UK bilateral relations.

A 1971 batch IFS officer, Mukherjee has done a wide range of diplomatic assignments in Africa, Asia, Europe, USA and at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Mukherjee has been the Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry and served as the Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

He has also served as Ambassador in Nepal, and before that as High Commissioner to South Africa. He was also India's Ambassador in Egypt and High Commissioner to Namibia.