Who is Taranjit Singh Sandhu? Veteran diplomat and former US ambassador appointed new Delhi L-G after VK Saxena

Ex-Indian ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu joined the BJP

• Taranjit Singh Sandhu named new Delhi Lieutenant Governor
• Sandhu replaces Vinai Kumar Saxena, now LG of Ladakh
• Sandhu is a former ambassador to the US and career diplomat

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India’s former ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in a reshuffle of governors and lieutenant governors across several states and Union Territories.

A career diplomat who served more than three decades in the Indian Foreign Service, Sandhu replaces Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has now been named Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.

Sandhu’s appointment brings a seasoned diplomat with deep experience in global affairs -- particularly India’s relationship with the United States -- into one of the most politically sensitive administrative roles in the country.

From diplomacy to constitutional office

Sandhu belonged to the 1988 batch of the Indian Foreign Service and spent over thirty years in diplomacy, handling key assignments in major global capitals. His most prominent role came when he served as India’s ambassador to the United States from February 2020 to January 2024.

During that tenure, he navigated a complex period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and a transition in the US administration, while also overseeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in 2023. Sandhu had long been closely involved with India–US ties, having served multiple postings in the country.

Earlier, he worked as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Washington from July 2013 to January 2017. Even before that, between 1997 and 2000, he served as First Secretary (Political) in the same embassy, where he handled liaison with the United States Congress.

Sandhu also represented India at the United Nations, serving at the Permanent Mission of India in New York from July 2005 to February 2009.

His diplomatic career included key regional assignments as well. Before being posted to Washington as ambassador, he served as India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka from January 2017 to January 2020.

Early diplomatic career

Sandhu’s overseas career began soon after joining the foreign service. He was first posted to the former Soviet Union, working in the Indian mission there between 1990 and 1992 as Third Secretary (Political) and later Second Secretary (Commercial).

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, he was tasked with helping establish a new Indian diplomatic presence in Ukraine. From 1992 to 1994, he served in Kyiv as the head of the political and administration wings of the Indian Embassy.

These early assignments helped shape a career that would later include several critical diplomatic postings.

Entry into politics

After retiring from the foreign service, Sandhu entered electoral politics in 2024 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. That same year, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Amritsar.

His candidacy marked the second time the BJP had fielded a former diplomat from the constituency after Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri contested there in 2019. Sandhu, however, was defeated by Congress leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla.

Speaking about his decision to join politics during the campaign, Sandhu said: “The Prime Minister inspired me to join politics. Once it was suggested to me, I decided to do it. I will be honest, certainly, I am still to find out -- did I take a correct decision or not.”

Education and family background

Born on January 23, 1963, Sandhu grew up in a family associated with education and public life. He studied at The Lawrence School in Sanawar before moving to Delhi for higher education.

He completed a Bachelor’s degree in History from St Stephen’s College and later pursued a Master’s in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Sandhu also comes from a historically significant Sikh family. He is the grandson of Teja Singh Samundri, a prominent religious reformer and freedom fighter who was among the founders of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Samundri was imprisoned by the British on charges of sedition and died in jail in 1926.

Personal life and public incidents

Sandhu is married to Reenat Sandhu, a senior Indian Foreign Service officer who currently serves as India’s ambassador to the Netherlands. The couple has two children.

In November 2023, while serving as ambassador to the United States, Sandhu faced a tense situation during a visit to the Hicksville Gurdwara in Long Island, New York, where he had gone to attend Gurpurab prayers. Videos circulated online showing protesters confronting him while expressing support for Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, both designated as terrorists by India. The confrontation prompted the ambassador to leave the premises quickly.

With decades of diplomatic experience and extensive involvement in India’s engagement with the United States, Sandhu now moves from international diplomacy to a constitutional role at the centre of Delhi’s complex political administration.