New Delhi: India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, has retired after a distinguished career spanning over 35 years. Kamboj, the first woman to hold the prestigious position of India's Ambassador to the UN, announced her retirement on social media on Saturday.

"Thank you, Bharat, for the extraordinary years and unforgettable experiences," the 60-year-old diplomat wrote on her X handle.

Kamboj, who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1987, was the All India women's topper of her Civil Services batch and the topper of the 1987 Foreign Service batch. She formally assumed her role as Permanent Representative/Ambassador of India to New York on August 2, 2022.

Known for her active presence on social media, Kamboj frequently highlighted India's achievements at the UN. Her retirement announcement received an overwhelming response from various quarters, including former ambassadors and common citizens. Rohit Bansal, a social media user, encapsulated the sentiment by saying, "37 years of service, Sheer grace & steel — Your impact shall endure.”

Kamboj is fluent in Hindi, English, and French. She began her diplomatic career in Paris as the Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy to France from 1989 to 1991. Her diverse postings included a stint as Counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2002-2005, where she addressed a range of political issues, including UN Peacekeeping, UN Security Council Reform, and the Middle East crisis.

She also served as the Deputy Head of the Office of the Secretary-General at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. From 2011-2014, she was India's Chief of Protocol, the first and only woman to hold this position in the government. During her three-year tenure at UNESCO in Paris, Kamboj achieved many firsts. In May 2014, she was called to New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs for a special assignment to oversee the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was attended by Heads of State and Government from SAARC countries and Mauritius. Kamboj is married to businessman Diwakar Kamboj, and they have one daughter. 

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