Kamalesh sharma biography template
Home / Biography Templates & Examples / Kamalesh sharma biography template
From 2002 to 2004, he served as United Nations Secretary General"s special representative to East Timor.
He was appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Britain in 2004.
He is a Vice-President of the Royal Commonwealth Society. His second and final four-year term began on 1 April 2012 and will end 30 March 2016.
Sharma has been criticised as a "decent but ineffective" Secretary-General by Hugh Segal, Canada's former special envoy to the Commonwealth, who commented that under Sharma's tenure, the organization has been "missing in action on Sri Lankan human rights, vicious anti-gay laws in some parts of Africa and continued weakness in the promotion of judicial independence and democracy."
During his eight-year tenure as Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sharma focused on the empowerment of young people, the advancement of women's political and economic rights and raising international awareness of challenges facing small states as pressing priorities.
Sharma was described by Arif Zaman, Executive Director of the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network as “someone who has been a passionate, active and dedicated champion for women, combining advocacy with practical steps”.
On Sharma's tenure, The Rt Hon Hugo Swire, UK Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office commented that Sharma "helped to guide the Commonwealth through a period of significant challenges and he can be rightly proud of the important developments that have taken place under his leadership, such as the introduction of the Commonwealth Charter.”
At the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta, 27 November 2015, Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta stated that Sharma had “done a very good job at providing leadership and introducing new initiatives during his tenure." He gave thanks to Sharma "for his unflinching commitment to the Commonwealth", adding that "his legacy will undoubtedly be a positive one.”
On 9 July 2009 Sharma was appointed Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast after the retirement of Senator George J.
Mitchell. He has also been the Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast since July 2009.
Sharma was elected to the position of secretary-general over Michael Frendo, foreign minister of Malta, during the biennial Commonwealth summit in Kampala, Uganda held from 22 to 24 November 2007. He took over from Sir Don McKinnon of New Zealand on 1 April 2008.
Sharma was re-elected on 30 October 2011 at the 2011 CHOGM.
Doctorate (honorary), De Montfort University, United Kingdom.
Career
Kamalesh Sharma is an alumnus of the Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, Saint Stephen"s College in Delhi and King"s College, Cambridge.
Background
Sharma, Kamalesh was born on September 30, 1941. Canadian officials, including Foreign MinisterJohn Baird, labeled Sri Lanka's record "appalling" and accused Sharma of overlooking authoritarianism, leading to boycotts by leaders from Canada, India, and Mauritius, though the summit proceeded with Sharma emphasizing its role in advancing dialogue.[41][42][43]The impeachment and removal of Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake in January 2013 further fueled disputes, with Sharma expressing "deep disappointment" over the process, which defied Supreme Court rulings and appeared to undermine judicial independence.
Queen"s says he was responsible for cementing relations between Northern Ireland and India which led to the country"s investment in Northern Ireland businesses.
The position is a largely honorary title and Sharma said he was enormously proud to be given the job at Queen"son
Achievements
Kamalesh Sharma has been listed as a noteworthy Secretary General of The Commonwealth, diplomat by Marquis Who's Who.
Works
Membership
Governor Ditchley Foundation.
Recipient Services to Internationalism medal, Foreign Policy Association, United States, 2001; fellow Weatherhead Center International Affairs, Harvard University. Critics, including human rights advocates, contended this approach enabled impunity in countries like Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, where electoral irregularities and post-conflict accountability failures persisted without strong institutional rebuke.[39][40]A major controversy arose over the decision to host the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, four years after the end of its civil war, amid ongoing allegations of war crimes, enforced disappearances, and suppression of dissent.
He has also been the Chancellor of Queen"s University Belfast since July 2009.
Sharma was elected to the position of secretary-general over Michael Frendo, foreign minister of Malta, during the biennial Commonwealth summit in Kampala, Uganda held from 22 to 24 November 2007. Director International Peace Academy.
Graduate, Cambridge University King's College, England.
Doctorate (honorary), Middlesex University, United Kingdom. Governor Ditchley Foundation; director International Peace Academy; organizer South Asian Association Regional Co-operation Summit, New Delhi, 1995. Sharma's career arc highlights the efficacy of voluntary multilateralism, where consensus-driven cooperation among sovereign states proved instrumental in addressing shared challenges without resorting to coercive enforcement mechanisms, as evidenced by the Commonwealth's sustained relevance under his guidance despite limited binding authority.[3]
Personal life
Family background and private interests
Kamalesh Sharma is married and has two adult children.[1][14]His private interests encompass spiritual and mystical traditions, literature, cosmology, cricket, Indian and Western classical music, and calligraphy.[1][62]Kamalesh Sharma became Commonwealth Secretary-General on 1 April 2008 having been appointed to the post by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Kampala, Uganda, in November 2007.
Mr Sharma joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1965, and served at ambassadorial level in five missions, including as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, where he was closely involved in Commonwealth affairs.
He was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva 1988-1990, and acted as the spokesperson for developing countries in the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade talks.
As India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, 1997-2002, he chaired the Working Group which led to the Monterrey Consensus; he was also closely engaged in the process which led to the formulation and adoption of the Millennium Development Goals.
From 2002 to 2004, Mr Sharma served as the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to Timor Leste, with the rank of Under Secretary-General.
Mr Sharma's special interests lie in the empowerment of young people, the advancement of women's rights, the challenge of poverty eradication and economic growth.
He was educated at Modern School and St Stephen's College, Delhi, and at King's College, Cambridge University, where he read Literature.
Mr Sharma is Chancellor Emeritus of Queen’s University, Belfast, and a fellow at Harvard University.
Queen's says he was responsible for cementing relations between Northern Ireland and India which led to the country's investment in Northern Ireland businesses. In a 2010 rebuttal, Sharma affirmed the body's commitment to human rights "imperfectly" through persistent advocacy, while acknowledging the Charter's non-binding status limited punitive measures but enabled sustained dialogue.[52][53][54][55]
Post-retirement positions
Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast
Kamalesh Sharma was appointed the ninth Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast in December 2009.[56] The role, primarily ceremonial, involved presiding over key university events, including graduation ceremonies where he delivered addresses emphasizing graduates' responsibilities in global affairs.[56][57]During his tenure, Sharma participated in institutional milestones, such as illuminating the Lanyon Building in blue for United Nations Day in 2012 to commemorate the organization's 80th anniversary.[58] He served for approximately five years, stepping down in 2014 ahead of a formal succession on 1 May 2015.[56][59]Following his term, Sharma was designated Chancellor Emeritus, a title reflecting ongoing honorary association with the university.[1] In this capacity, the position underscores symbolic leadership without executive duties, aligning with his post-retirement engagements in academia.[60]Other engagements and honors
Sharma received the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) from Queen Elizabeth II on 23 March 2016, in recognition of his contributions to the Commonwealth during his tenure as Secretary-General.[61] This honor, one of the highest personal awards in the British honors system for non-subjects, underscored his role in advancing diplomatic relations within the Commonwealth framework.Following his retirement from the Secretary-General position, Sharma maintained affiliations such as a fellowship at Harvard University, supporting academic discourse on international relations.[1] His post-tenure engagements have remained low-profile, with no documented involvement in major controversies or high-visibility boards, reflecting a deliberate focus on reflective contributions rather than active leadership roles.The position is a largely honorary title and Sharma said he was enormously proud to be given the job at Queen's.
Connections
Married; 2 children.
Kamalesh Sharma
Early life and education
Formal education and early influences
Kamalesh Sharma was born on 30 September 1941 in India.[2] He completed his schooling at Modern School in New Delhi before pursuing higher education.[1]Sharma attended St.Stephen's College in Delhi, followed by studies at King's College, University of Cambridge, where he read English Literature.[1][8] These academic experiences laid the groundwork for his entry into the Indian Foreign Service in 1965, though specific early personal influences shaping his interest in diplomacy remain undocumented in available records.[2]
Indian diplomatic career
Key ambassadorships and postings (1965–2001)
Sharma joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1965, embarking on a diplomatic career marked by assignments across bilateral relations and international organizations.[1]He served as India's Ambassador to the German Democratic Republic, managing relations with the Eastern Bloc state amid Cold War dynamics.[9][10]From September 10, 1992, to February 16, 1995, Sharma was appointed India's first Ambassador to Kazakhstan following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, concurrently accrediting as Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.[11][12] This posting involved initiating formal diplomatic engagement with the nascent Central Asian republics, including the establishment of embassies and foundational agreements on trade and cooperation.[13]These roles underscored Sharma's expertise in navigating post-colonial and post-Soviet transitions, contributing to India's expanding footprint in Europe and Central Asia prior to his later multilateral engagements.[1] Over his career, he held ambassadorial positions in five missions, reflecting steady progression through senior diplomatic ranks.[1]Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Kamalesh Sharma served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from August 7, 1997, to May 27, 2002.[14] He presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on August 4, 1997, marking the start of his tenure during a period of heightened global scrutiny on India's foreign policy, including its nuclear program and regional security concerns.[14]During this period, Sharma represented India amid international reactions to its May 1998 nuclear tests, defending the country's sovereign right to develop nuclear capabilities for deterrence while challenging perceived discriminatory elements in global non-proliferation regimes, such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).[15] In letters and briefings to the UN Security Council, he contested the legitimacy of resolutions imposing sanctions on India, arguing they overlooked security threats from neighbors and failed to address asymmetries in existing nuclear powers' arsenals.[15][16] His interventions emphasized India's commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship without compromising strategic autonomy, contributing to eventual easing of some international pressures through diplomatic engagement.Sharma played a pivotal role in multilateral economic diplomacy, chairing the UN General Assembly's Working Group that facilitated the Monterrey Consensus on financing for development, adopted in March 2002 following the International Conference in Monterrey, Mexico.[1] This framework mobilized commitments from developed nations for increased aid, debt relief, and trade reforms to support sustainable development in poorer countries, reflecting India's advocacy for equitable global economic governance.Kamalesh Sharma
DiplomatSecretary General
Kamalesh Sharma, Secretary General of The Commonwealth, diplomat. In October 2010, reports highlighted internal directives under Sharma's leadership instructing Secretariat staff to refrain from public statements on abuses, prompting accusations that the Commonwealth had abandoned its human rights commitments in favor of quiet diplomacy, as evidenced by a leaked document obtained by The Guardian.
He is a Vice-President of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
Education
Graduate, Modern School, Delhi. He highlighted outcomes like quiet diplomatic interventions yielding incremental progress on governance, as opposed to the risks of alienating members and diminishing influence, and defended the Secretariat's role as facilitative rather than prosecutorial, per its founding principles.