Gopal Baglay is a 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who served as the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka from 2020 to 2023. He came into limelight after he was appointed India’s High Commissioner to Australia in September 2023.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Gopal Bagle was born on Tuesday, 4 January 1966 (age 57 years; as in 2023) in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. Their zodiac sign is Capricorn. After spending his early years in Mathura, Gopal moved to Lucknow, where he joined City Montessori School (CMS). Gopal earned a Master of Science (Special) degree in Chemistry from Lucknow University. After completing his formal education, Bagley appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination and was successful in clearing it. After that, he reported to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. He has attended several Foreign Service related courses at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service in New Delhi.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 4″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye colour: dark brown
Family
Gopal Bagle belongs to a Hindu family from Uttar Pradesh.
parents and siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
wife and children
His wife’s name is Beena Bagle.
Religion
Gopal Bagle follows Hindu religion.
livelihood
After completing his training at LBSNAA in 1994, Gopal was sent to Kiev, Ukraine, where he held the position of Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy until 1996. In 1996, he was posted to Moscow, Russian Federation. There, he served as Second Secretary in the Indian Embassy until 1999. From 1999 to 2002, he served as Special Assistant to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom (UK); He also served as First Secretary (Economic) there. Gopal Baglay was seconded to New Delhi, where he served as Deputy Secretary (Central Europe) and Deputy Secretary and Director (United Nations – Economic and Social) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) from 2002 to 2005. In 2005, Bagley moved to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal. There, he held the position of Counselor (Press, Information and Culture) until 2008. In 2008, he was once again posted in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. There, he served as director and director of external publicity. This department looks after India’s relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. He served in the Ministry of External Affairs until 2010. From 2010 to 2011, he held the position of Director of the Foreign Minister’s Office. He was sent as Deputy High Commissioner to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. He remained in this post till 2014.
A photo of Bagley was taken while he was giving a speech to the audience during an event
In October 2014, Gopal became Joint Secretary (State), a post he held until December 2015. In this role, he was entrusted with the responsibility of setting up a separate department within the Ministry of External Affairs dedicated to enhancing India’s international engagement. In October 2015, he was appointed by the Ministry of External Affairs as its Joint Secretary. In this capacity, his responsibilities included overseeing matters related to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. In February 2017, Bagley was appointed as the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs; However, his tenure was short-lived, and he was replaced by Ravish Kumar in July 2017.
A photograph of Bagley when he served as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs
In the same year, Gopal was given the post of Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO); He held this position until his appointment as India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in May 2020. His appointment as High Commissioner came at a time when Sri Lanka was going through a period of political and economic instability. He played an important role in improving relations between India and Sri Lanka. He also helped both countries finalize economic assistance deals to help Sri Lanka revive its economy.
A photograph of Gopal taken with members of the Indian and Sri Lankan armed forces during India’s Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka
In September 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that Gopal Baglay would replace Ambassador Manpreet Vohra and take charge of the Indian High Commission in Australia. The Government of India notification states,
Shri Gopal Baglay (IFS: 1992), presently High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Australia. Hopefully he will take charge soon.”
Facts/General Knowledge
- He is an avid traveler and has visited many places.
- He pursues his hobby of reading with great enthusiasm.
- Bagley is multilingual and is fluent in Hindi, English, Urdu, Nepali, Russian and Ukrainian.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn