Siddharth Chatterjee Age, Wife, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Siddharth Chatterjee

• His family migrated to Kolkata, India, from Bangladesh during the freedom struggle.

• He had a difficult childhood after contracting polio at the age of three.

• Siddharth Chatterjee received electric shock treatment to help his leg recover. According to him, he was fortunate to recover completely from polio.

• In 1981, he got into the National Defence Academy (NDA) on his second attempt.

• After joining NDA, Siddharth Chatterjee become a polo player and a boxer, winning the best boxing title.

• After graduating from NDA, he joined an elite para regiment.

• Siddharth Chatterjee served as a Major in the Special Forces in the Indian Army from January 1990 to December 1996.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee as an Army officer

• During his service in the Special Forces Unit of the Indian Army, he was awarded for bravery by the President of India in 1995.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee (right) during his period at National Defence Academy

• In January 1997, Siddharth Chatterjee was appointed as a Deputy Chief of Security in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina. He served in the position till May 1997.

• From May 1997 to October 1997, he served as a Chief Security Adviser in Baghdad, Iraq.

• Siddharth Chatterjee was then promoted to the position of Chief of Liaison in Baghdad, Iraq, in October 1997. He served in the position till March 1998.

• He was appointed as a Field Delegate and UN Coordinator in Suleimaniyah, in March 1998. He held the position till June 2000.

• In June 2000, Siddharth Chatterjee began working as a Chief of Field Office at UNICEF in South Sudan, in September 2001. He served in the position till June 2000.

• He was appointed as the Chief of the Emergency Section of UNICEF in Indonesia in September 2001. He served in the position till June 2004.
• Siddharth Chatterjee served as a Senior Emergency Coordinator Senior of UNICEF in Darfur, Sudan, from June 2004 to November 2004.

• He worked as a Deputy Representative of UNICEF from November 2004 to November 2007 in Kenya and Somalia.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee during his period at UNICEF

• In November 2007, Siddharth Chatterjee was appointed as a Chief of Staff of United Nations in Iraq. He served in the position till April 2009.
• From May 2009 to July 2010, he served as a Regional Director of the UNOPS Regional Office in Copenhagen, Denmark.

• There, Siddharth Chatterjee worked in leadership roles across conflict and disaster-affected areas.

• In June 2011, he was appointed as a Chief Diplomat and Head of Strategic Partnerships and International Relations in Geneva, Switzerland. He served in the position till April 2014.

• Siddharth Chatterjee started working as a Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kenya in April 2014. He served in the position till August 2016.

• In Kenya, he focused on reducing maternal deaths and protecting the rights of adolescent girls.

• His efforts aimed to end child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and violence against women and girls, ensuring every child has their rights protected and the chance to reach their full potential.

• Siddharth Chatterjee served as a UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya from August 2016 to January 2021.

• He was appointed as a UN Resident Coordinator to China in January 2021.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee while working as a UN Resident Coordinator to China

• Siddharth Chatterjee managed the development of projects, guided by the UN Sustainable Cooperation Framework, which aligned with China’s priorities to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

• The Global Polio Eradication Initiative recognized him as an influencer in the fight against polio.

• Siddharth Chatterjee often writes about humanitarian and social issues. His blog has been featured on Reuters and the Huffington Post.

• His op-eds and articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Forbes, the Global Observatory, and major Kenyan and Indian journals.

• Siddharth Chatterjee later worked with the United Nations in peacekeeping, security, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, and other roles.

• He has worked at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

• One of his key achievements was demobilizing 3,551 child soldiers in South Sudan, the largest successful demobilization in a conflict zone.

• Siddharth Chatterjee has spoken thrice at TEDx and regularly contributes to many media outlets including Newsweek, CNN, CNBC, the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Forbes, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee while delivering a lecture at a public speaking platform

• He is fluent in Hindi, English, Bengali, and Indonesian.

• Siddharth Chatterjee is a fitness enthusiast and practises yoga regularly. He often shares pictures of his yoga sessions on social media.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee while practising yoga

• In 2024, he released a four and a half minutes documentary titled ‘Breathing for Good Health,’ which began with the recitation of the ancient Sanskrit sound ‘Om.’

• In the video, Siddharth Chatterjee, sitting shirtless on a frozen lake bed in Beijing, China, practiced deep breathing exercises, followed by stomach-churning techniques and the Sheersh Asan (headstand). The documentary went viral on social media in China.
  

  Siddharth Chatterjee while practising pranayam and yoga in his documentary film

• He frequently promotes the benefits of breathing exercises to fight with ill health.

• In 2024, Siddharth Chatterjee released a tutorial video to help people practice deep breathing exercises in any environment to reduce stress and boost energy.

• Reportedy, he lost 25 kg, achieved normal blood pressure, and reached physical and mental balance through high-intensity breathing, fasting, and cold exposure.

• Once, in a media interview, he shared that he was a frequent runner. Siddharth Chatterjee said,
  

  I am an avid practitioner of yoga and running in all seasons. As a frequent runner, I also must attest to the improvements in air quality now enjoyed by Beijing residents.”

  

  Siddharth Chatterjee while running for a charitable work