MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar to be replaced by IFS officer Anurag Srivastava

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Anurag Srivastava will replace Raveesh Kumar as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), news agency ANI has reported quoting sources.

Srivastava is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and African Union. He is from the 1999 batch of the IFS.

Before taking up his assignment as ambassador to Ethiopia, he headed the Political Wing at the Indian High Commission in Colombo, according to the website of The Embassy of India in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In his stint, along with other responsibilities, he was closely involved in formulation and implementation of India’s development assistance projects.

He has also served at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in Geneva where he dealt with work related to human rights, refugees and trade policy.

Besides, he has held different positions in the Foreign Office in New Delhi, including in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division, in the Official Spokesperson’s Office and as Director of the Finance Division.

Srivastava obtained degrees in engineering and business management followed by a brief stint in the corporate sector before joining the Foreign Service. He also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Oxford, UK.

He is married to Meghna and they have one son.