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Gopal Baglay (IFS) Age, Family, Biography & More

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Wife: Bina Baglay
Age: 57 Years
Hometown: Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

Gopal Baglay

Bio/Wiki
ProfessionIndian Foreign Services (IFS) Officer
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 163 cm
in meters- 1.63 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 4”
Eye ColourDark Brown
Hair ColourSalt and Pepper
Civil Service
ServiceIndian Foreign Service (IFS)
Batch1992
Service Years1992-present
Major Designation(s)• Third Secretary at Embassy of India, Kyiv (1994-1996)
• Second Secretary at Embassy of India, Moscow (1996-1999)
• Special Assistant to High Commissioner, London; First Secretary (Economic) (1999-2002)
• Deputy Secretary (Central Europe) & Deputy Secretary and Director (United Nations-Economic & Social) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), New Delhi (2002-2005)
• Counsellor (Press, Information & Culture), Embassy of India, Kathmandu (2005-2008)
• Director (External Publicity), Director (Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran), MEA, New Delhi (2008-2010)
• Director (External Affairs Minister’s Office), MEA (2010-2011)
• Deputy High Commissioner, High Commission of India, Islamabad (2011-2014)
• Joint Secretary (States) (October 2014 - December 2015)
• Joint Secretary, MEA (October 2015 - February 2017)
• Official Spokesperson of the MEA (February 2017 - July 2017)
• Joint Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) (July 2017 - May 2020)
• High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka (May 2020 - September 2023)
• Ambassador of India to Australia (September 2023 - present)
Personal Life
Date of Birth4 January 1966 (Tuesday)
Age (as of 2023)57 Years
BirthplaceMathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
Zodiac signCapricorn
NationalityIndian
HometownMathura, Uttar Pradesh
SchoolCity Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow
College/UniversityLucknow University
Educational Qualification• MSc Science (Special) in Chemistry [1]Embassy of India in Kabul
• He has done numerous foreign service-related courses in New Delhi at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.
ReligionHinduism [2]ANI
HobbyReading
Relationships & More
Marital StatusMarried
Family
Wife/SpouseBina Baglay

Gopal Baglay

Some Lesser Known Facts About Gopal Baglay

  • Gopal Baglay is an Indian diplomat, who belongs to the 1992 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). The Indian government appointed him as the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in May 2020, a post that he held till his appointment as the Ambassador to Australia in September 2023.
  • Gopal relocated from Mathura to Lucknow in his early childhood. At Lucknow, he completed his formal education.
  • Following his formal education, Baglay took the UPSC civil services exam and successfully passed it. After that, he joined the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
  • In his role as Joint Secretary (States), Baglay was tasked with creating a separate division within the Ministry of External Affairs to focus on strengthening India’s ties with other nations.

    Gopal Baglay with President Droupadi Murmu

    Gopal Baglay with President Droupadi Murmu

  • Gopal Baglay directed India’s engagement with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran while serving as the Joint Secretary in the MEA.
  • In July 2017, within a few months of being appointed as the Spokesperson of the MEA, Baglay was transferred and replaced by another IFS officer named Raveesh Kumar.

    Gopal Baglay shaking hands with Raveesh Kumar after Raveesh was appointed as the official spokesperson of the MEA

    Gopal Baglay shaking hands with Raveesh Kumar after Raveesh was appointed as the official spokesperson of the MEA

  • Baglay took on the role of India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka during a period of political and economic unrest within the country. He played a crucial part in enhancing the relationship between India and Sri Lanka and played a pivotal role in facilitating economic assistance agreements that aimed to uplift Sri Lanka’s economy.

    A photo of the Gopal Baglay with the speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena

    A photo of the Gopal Baglay with the speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena

  • He was chosen to succeed Manpreet Vohra as the Ambassador of India to Australia by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in September 2023. The announcement of the MEA stated,

    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. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.”

  • Gopal Baglay is a travel enthusiast, and he has visited numerous places.
  • Gopal Baglay is proficient in speaking several languages, including Hindi, English, Urdu, Nepali, Russian, and Ukrainian.

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