Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has said the world community is waiting for India’s views on various issues and subjects as the country’s stature is growing at the international arena.
In her speech receiving the K.P. S. Menon Memorial Award at C.S.N. Auditorium, Ottapalam near here on Monday she said that this world attention to India’s views on various subjects shows the country’s increasing clout in the world affairs.
This made India’s chance better for getting a permanent seat in U.N. Security Council as more countries are expected to support its claim. India got a good response from world countries when it was selected for the non permanent seat at the UN Security Council, the Foreign Secretary said.
She has said that the increasing role of India in the world affairs has put more responsibility on diplomats from the country as their words are keenly watched and listened. In each issue India’s relevance is now increasing in the world affairs.
She said that diplomacy is an intricate science. It is not just theoretical as we are handling human minds. Our words and deeds affect the people of the countries where we are assigned to represent India, she said.
A word of a diplomat could bring both peace and war. Thus the responsibility is high. They should show maturity and elegance, Mrs. Rao said.
She said that she was inspired by renowned diplomats like K.P.S. Menon. Her parents who knew K.P.S. Menon told her about the legendary personality when she was just 12 years old. From then onwards she had an inspiration to become a diplomat or something like that, the Foreign Secretary said.
The award was presented to her by K.P.S. Menon (Junior), the former Foreign Secretary of India.
The award was instituted by Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair Cultural Centre in memory of late K.P.S. Menon, diplomat, who hailed from Ottapalam.
Mrs. Rao was selected for the award for her multifarious talents which bear resemblance of those of the legendary figure whose name the award carries.
The award function was presided over by M.B. Rajesh, M.P.
Those who felicitated her include M. Hamsa, M.L.A, Sudhakar Rao, her husband and retired Chief Secretrary of Karnataka, Dr. K.V. Ramachandran, Chairman, Reception Committee among others.
Secretary of C.S.N. Trust E.P. Chitresh Nair presented mementoes at the function.
T.P. Narendra Menon, Vice Chairman, Chettur Sankaran Nair Trust welcomed the gathering and Secretary, Reception Committee A.C. Ashanath proposed vote of thanks.
