Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed new Indian Ambassador to US
New Delhi, Dec 20: Seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla was Thursday appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the US, considered a high-profile posting where he will face the task of engaging with the Trump administration on a number of key issues including the H1B visa.
Shringla, a 1984-batch Indian Foreign Service official, will succeed Navtej Sarna.
"He is expected to take up the assignment shortly," the Ministry of External Affairs said.
At present, Shringla is serving as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Senior diplomat Riva Ganguly Das, presently Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, has been appointed as new High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
Besides the H1B visa issue, Shringla will also have to engage with Washington on resolving issues relating to India's purchase of S 400 air defence missile systems from Russia.
India risked the threat of US sanctions when it finalised the USD 5 billion deal with Russia in October.
Shringla will also have to engage with the Trump administration on several other issues including India's import of crude oil from Iran. The US has given India temporary waiver from the sanctions regime against import of Iranian oil.
The waiver will come to an end on April 4.
In the course of a diplomatic career spanning 34 years, Shringla has held a variety of positions in New Delhi and abroad.
Before his appointment as High Commissioner in Bangladesh nearly three years back, he served as India's Ambassador to Thailand. He has also served in Vietnam, Israel and South Africa.
He has also served in the Ministry of External Affairs here as Joint Secretary responsible for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives.
He has also headed the United Nations Political and SAARC Divisions in the Ministry.
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Goa nightclub fire: Co-owner Ajay Gupta's police remand extended by four days
Panaji (PTI): A Goa court on Thursday extended by four days the police remand of Ajay Gupta, co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a devastating fire on December 6 killed 25 persons.
Gupta was arrested from New Delhi on December 10. A court in Mapusa had remanded him in police custody for seven days at the time.
Gupta was presented before the lower court, which sent him to four-day police custody as his initial remand was expiring, his advocate Rohan Desai told reporters.
"Gupta had complained about back pain. The court ordered his medical examination, after which he was allowed use of a mattress in custody. He was examined by a specialised doctor at Goa Medical College and Hospital near here," the lawyer said.
Twenty-five persons, including 20 staff members and five tourists, were killed in the major blaze at the nightclub at Arpora in North Goa around midnight of December 6.
Gupta had, during the day, filed an bail application.
So far, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case, including Gupta, and two other owners - Gaurav Luthra and his brother Saurabh - who were deported from Thailand.
Five other staffers of the nightclub arrested in the case are Rajiv Modak (Corporate General Manager), Priyanshu Thakur (Gate Manager), Rajveer Singhania (Bar Manager), Vivek Singh (General Manager) and Bharat Karan Singh Kohli (employee).
A Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against Surinder Kumar Khosla, another owner of the nightclub who is a British citizen, police said.
