Nirupama Rao named India's next ambassador to US

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Indian government on Saturday
officially announced the appointment of Foreign Secretary
Nirupama Rao as the next Ambassador to the United States, an
assignment she will take up shortly.
Rao, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India
to the United States of America and she is expected to take up
her assignment shortly, official spokesperson in the Ministry
of External Affairs said here.
Her appointment to succeed Meera Shankar as the US
Ambassador was cleared by the government last month.
The 1973-batch IFS officer assumed the office of the
Foreign Secretary on August 1, 2009, becoming the second woman
to head the Indian Foreign Secretary after Chokila Iyer.
She was to retire in December last year at the age of 60
but was given an extension till July-end when the government
fixed a two-year term for the post of Foreign Secretary.
Rao has served in various key positions and had been
India's envoy to various countries, including China and Sri
Lanka. She has also been the only women spokesperson in the
MEA.
She had earlier served in Washington as a junior
diplomat.