Pavan Varma
Pavan K. Varma (born 5 November 1953) is an Indian politician, author, and former diplomat who served as India’s Ambassador to Bhutan and High Commissioner to Cyprus.[3] He has also served as the Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Bihar. He is also a widely published author, known for his works on Indian culture, identity, and politics. Early life and educationVarma a native of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh was born on 5 November 1953 in Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh (now Maharashtra). He graduated with a degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, where he stood first in his class. He subsequently obtained a degree in law from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976.[4] CareerDiplomatic careerVarma joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976. Over the course of his diplomatic career, he held several key positions, including Press Secretary to the President of India, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Joint Secretary for Africa, High Commissioner of India to Cyprus, Director of the Nehru Centre in London, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and Ambassador of India to Bhutan.[4] Political careerIn June 2014, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament, representing the state of Bihar. He served in this capacity until July 2016.[5] During this period, he was also appointed as the National General Secretary and National Spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United).[4][6] Varma served as the National General Secretary of the JD(U) until 29 January 2020.[7] He subsequently joined the All India Trinamool Congress on 23 November 2021 and was appointed the party’s National Vice-President on 19 December 2021.[8] He resigned from the post and left the party on 12 August 2022, following political realignments in Bihar associated with the formation of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government.[9] Literary careerVarma is a noted author and commentator on Indian culture, history, and society. He has written both non-fiction and translations, contributing significantly to public discourse through his publications. Some of his notable works include:[4][10]
Varma has also translated the poetry of prominent Indian figures including Kaifi Azmi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Gulzar into English. Varma is a regular columnist, with his articles appearing in publications such as The Times of India, The Asian Age, and other national and regional newspapers and journals.[11] Honours and recognitionIn 2005, Varma was awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the University of Indianapolis in recognition of his contributions to diplomacy, literature, culture, and aesthetics.[4] During his tenure as Ambassador to Bhutan, he was conferred the Druk Thuksey Award, Bhutan’s highest civilian honour, by His Majesty the King of Bhutan. He remains the only serving Indian Ambassador to Bhutan to have received this distinction.[12] Varma has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from his alma mater, St. Xavier's School, Delhi, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.[12] In February 2019, he was presented with the inaugural Wordsmith Award at the Words Count Festival in Pune. The same year, he was also honoured with the Kalinga International Literary Award for his contributions to Indian literature and public discourse.[9] BibliographyFiction
Non-fiction
As a sequel to The Great Indian Middle Class in 1998, he, in association with journalist Renuka Khandekar, published Maximize Your Life: An Action Plan for the Indian Middle Class (Viking 2000). His 2004 Being Indian was published by William Heinemann, in the United Kingdom, as Being Indian: Inside the Real India in March 2005. Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker has translated and published in various Indian languages. Translations
References
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