IFS officers celebrate ex-Foreign Secretary Rasgotra's 100th birthday

IFS officers celebrated the birthday of former Foreign Secretary MK Rasgotra, who turned 100 on September 11. The celebrations were led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

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Rasgotra was the Foreign Secretary from May 1982 to January 1985 – the post-1980 tenure of Indira Gandhi.

The function was hosted at the iconic Hyderabad House.

Jaishankar, who is himself from the 1977 batch of the IFS and a former Foreign Secretary, on Monday night posted: “We celebrate a legend of the Indian Foreign Service today, former Foreign Secretary MK Rasgotra, who just turned 100.”

“A titan of his times, Foreign Secretary Rasgotra indeed is the #GOAT of the IFS,” Jaishankar said, also posting pictures of the function.

An alumnus of Panjab University, Rasgotra was born at Sharkargarh, Pakistan. He joined the IFS in September 1949. Before that he taught at the Government College, Lahore.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, a 1989-batch IFS officer, posted on X: “A singular privilege to host Ambassador Maharaja Krishna Rasgotra, Foreign Secretary of India (May 1982 to Jan 1985), on his attaining the age of 100.”

His grace, charm and wit remain undiminished and he continues to be a role model for diplomats, said Misri.

“Thank you for these moments, Sir,” Misri posted.

Rasgotra, a recipient of Padma Bhushan, has authored a book ‘Life in diplomacy’.