New Delhi: Former ambassador to the US, a key determine concerned in organising India’s embassy in Ukraine following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the grandson of a tall determine in India’s gurdwara reform motion — Taranjit Singh Sandhu joined the BJP Tuesday and is prone to contest from Amritsar, his hometown in Punjab.
Speaking to the media on the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Sandhu mentioned: “In the last 10 years, I have worked closely under PM Modi’s leadership, especially in the relationship with the United States and Sri Lanka… PM Modi is development-focused… Development is much needed today and… this development should reach Amritsar too.”
A take a look at his posts during the last couple of months on X present an elevated frequency in attending varied occasions in and round Amritsar, from interacting with farmers to feasting on jalebis and gulab jamuns on the iconic Sharma Sweet Shop.
Exploring the streets of #Amritsar and could not resist indulging in some mouthwatering jalebis and gulabjamuns at iconic Sharma Sweet Shop! pic.twitter.com/jWBaXkzQpR
— Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) February 25, 2024
In a bid to attach the Punjabi diaspora overseas with Indians in Amritsar, the previous diplomat launched a video with US-based entrepreneur Darshan Singh Dhaliwal final week, congratulating him for providing annual scholarships to 100 college students from Amritsar within the US.
Dhaliwal, who final yr obtained the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award — the very best honour for abroad Indians — was denied entry into India in October 2021, allegedly because of his involvement within the farmers’ protests.
Connecting the #punjabidiaspora to #Amritsar‘s improvement!
Appreciate the dedication of one in every of America’s outstanding Punjabi entrepreneur Darshan Singh Dhaliwal. His announcement of scholarships for 100 college students yearly from Amritsar in #America and help enchancment tasks… pic.twitter.com/6hduIuei8Y— Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) March 10, 2024
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Tenure as US envoy & coping with Sikh extremism
Sandhu served as India’s ambassador to the US from 2020 to 2024, and managed the highs and lows within the bilateral relationship since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state go to final June to rising Sikh extremism overseas within the backdrop of the alleged homicide plot towards Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Last November, Sandhu was heckled by a gaggle of pro-Khalistan people whereas providing prayers on the Hicksville Gurdwara in New York’s Long Island. “You are responsible for the assassination of (Hardeep Singh) Nijjar,” mentioned one heckler to Sandhu, in reference to Canada’s accusations that Indian brokers have been concerned within the homicide of Nijjar, one other Sikh separatist.
On 23 January, throughout his farewell occasion at India House in Washington, Sandhu known as relations between India and the US a “well-attended garden”, including that although there are some challenges, the flowers continued to bloom.
“There are always some challenges that come, but at the end of the day, the flowers are blooming and increasing. Some of you who were here in 2016 will remember that when my Prime Minister addressed the US Congress, he used the words, ‘we have overcome the hesitations of history’. It has a deep meaning,” he had mentioned on the occasion.
Sandhu’s departure from Washington was marked by a slew of messages from US officers praising his work as India’s ambassador to the nation. For instance, US President Joe Biden’s high nationwide safety aide Kurt Campbell known as working with Sandhu “magic”.
American diplomat Atul Keshap, now head of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), known as Sandhu a “star” who can be dearly missed. Rahul Gupta, who heads the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, known as Sandhu top-of-the-line diplomats of India.
Sikh roots & three main diplomatic postings
Sandhu was born on 23 January, 1963, in India and later studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar. He graduated in historical past from St Stephens’ College, Delhi, and obtained a Master’s in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
He is a practising Sikh and the grandson of Teja Singh Samundri, who fought for the gurdwara reform motion (Chabiyan Da Morcha) within the Nineteen Twenties.
Samundri was additionally a founding member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), in addition to a large determine in India’s freedom battle. He died within the Lahore Jail in 1926 whereas in British custody. There is a corridor within the Golden Temple in Amritsar named after Sandhu’s grandfather.
Privileged to go to the Teja Singh Samundri Hall constructing inside #SriHarmindarSahib advanced in #Amritsar, named in reminiscence of my grandfather. He died throughout the freedom battle whereas beneath British custody in Lahore Jail in 1926. pic.twitter.com/g9NegdASXL
— Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) August 26, 2023
Samundri was a member of the Congress Working Committee. He was elected as Vice President of the Congress in 1922. He was arrested throughout an Akali agitation and imprisoned in Amritsar Jail. He was later shifted to the Lahore Jail the place he died. During that point, the SGPC and Shiromani Akali Dal have been declared illegal.
Sandhu joined the overseas providers in 1988 and has served within the US, Sri Lanka and Germany in varied capacities over his three-decade diplomatic profession.
He served within the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, New York (2005-09), as Consul General of India in Frankfurt (2011-2013), Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington DC (2013-2017), High Commissioner to Sri Lanka (2017-2020) and ambassador to the US (2020-2024).
In the late 90s, he was First Secretary (Political) on the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, and was chargeable for liaison with the US Congress from 1997 to 2000.
Reflecting on this time, whereas talking at an occasion hosted by Hudson Institute in 2020, Sandhu mentioned: “I was the Congressional Liaison Officer and at that time in ‘97, it was a very new setup.”
“From all my three postings, the posting in the United States is never dull. There’ll always be interesting challenges, but there are great opportunities. And as I mentioned to you from ’97 to now, where the relationship has come, but still there’s a lot that can be covered,” he had mentioned.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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