For the first time in Indian history, a woman has been handed over the command of High Commission in Pakistan. Geetika Srivastav is a notable figure in Indian Foreign Service; she is currently working as the Joint Secretary at the Headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs. 

Who is Geetika Srivastav?

Geetika is a resident of Rajput Colony, Jail Road, Basti, Uttar Pradesh. Her father, GP Srivastav is a retired bank officer. She holds a B.Sc. in Economics, Maths and Computer Science from KDC College. She completed her post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2003. She also pursued an MPhil the same year. 

In the year 2005, while pursuing her studies, Geetika decided to prepare for the Civil Services exam. She was a bright student, and with dedication, she cleared the examinations in her very first attempt. Her entire family was proud of her for getting selected for the prestigious IAS cadre, but she chose to join the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

In her first posting, Geetika worked as a junior diplomat in the Indian Embassy in Beijing between 2007 and 2009. Later, she also served in Kolkata Regional Passport Office. 

Current Posting

Presently, Geetika is working as the Joint Secretary at the Headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs in the Indo Pacific Division of MEA. What’s noteworthy is that she has been offered the position of India’s High Commission in Pakistan. She will take on the role of Charge d’Affairs (CDS) at the India High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. She will replace Dr M Suresh Kumar. This transition is due to the limited political relations between India and Pakistan. Therefore, the responsibility of heading the High Commission has been given to the CDS, who holds the rank of a Joint Secretary.  

Historic achievement

Since independence, only male officials have held the position at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan. This is for the first time, that a woman has been offered this position. Pakistan has appointed Saad Ahmed Warraich as its new CDS in New Delhi. He has served as a Pakistani diplomat at the United Nations Mission in New York, and he has taken over the responsibilities of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi from Salman Sharif. 

The appointment of Geetika Srivastav as the CDS in Islamabad marks a significant milestone. Like the first time, when Geetika became an IFS officer, her parents are still extremely proud of her achievements.