Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and historian Meenakshi Jain were among the four people nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Sunday.

An alumnus of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and Mayo College, Ajmer, Shringla was a topper in the 1984 batch of the civil services. He chose the foreign service and, in a distinguished career, served as India’s ambassador to the US, the High Commissioner to Bangladesh and ambassador to Thailand. In 2019, during his tenure as the envoy to the US, the “Howdy Modi” event was held in Texas. He was the foreign secretary from 2020 to 2022 and served as the chief coordinator of India’s G-20 presidency in 2023.

Shringla has his roots in the Darjeeling hills in West Bengal. Last year, the work of his NGO Darjeeling Welfare Society, which he floated in May 2023, triggered speculation that he might be preparing for a bid for the Lok Sabha in the parliamentary elections. However, Shringla himself dismissed the speculation and the party renominated Raju Bista from the seat it has been winning since 2009.

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“Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla Ji has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. Over the years, he’s made key contributions to India’s foreign policy and also contributed to our G20 Presidency. Glad that he’s been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India. His unique perspectives will greatly enrich Parliamentary proceedings,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.

Historian in the Upper House

Meenakshi Jain is a historian who authored the Medieval India NCERT textbook commissioned by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Her book replaced the one authored by historian Satish Chandra. However, after the UPA government came to power in 2004, the book was decommissioned and a fresh set of NCERT books was brought out. Those are still in circulation but with some changes.

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Jain taught history at Gargi College, University of Delhi, and became a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research during the Modi government’s first term. In 2020, she was conferred with the Padma Shri.

Jain, whose father Girilal Jain edited The Times of India from 1978 to 1988, has authored several books. One of her books is Rama and Ayodhya that traces, in depth, the conflict over the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.

Congratulating Jain, PM Modi wrote on X, “It’s a matter of immense joy that Dr Meenakshi Jain Ji has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rashtrapati Ji. She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher and historian. Her work in the fields of education, literature, history and political science have enriched academic discourse significantly. Best wishes for her Parliamentary tenure.”

Under Article 80, 12 members are nominated to the Rajya Sabha for their special knowledge or practical experience of literature, science, art, or social service.