Mr. Jagdish Sharma
Mr. Jagdish Sharma
Chair - Managing Commitee
Former Secretary (Policy Planning, Consular & Diaspora)
Inistry Of External Affairs
Mr Sharma joined the elite Indian Foreign Service in 1972 and has served as First Secretary (Consular & Political) and First Secretary (Commercial) in the Indian Embassies in Tokyo and Jakarta respectively. He gave a new direction to India’s commercial relations with Indonesia. Most of the Indian joint ventures in Indonesia were established during his tenure. Indian promoters greatly appreciated valuable advice and support extended by him as First Secretary (Commercial). He also organised Indee 79, the biggest ever exhibition of Indian engineering products in Asia.
A brilliant organizer, Mr Sharma was Director (Protocol) for the 7th Non-Aligned Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Delhi in 1983. He belongs to a breed of diplomats who enjoy challenges. He volunteered to be India’s Head of Mission in Phnom Penh during the most difficult period of 1982-84. He served as India’s Consul General in Vancouver (1984-88) when it was the nerve center of activities in support of terrorist movement in Punjab. He was also one of the most successful Ambassadors of India in Vietnam (1989-92).
On his return to Headquarters in August 1992, Mr Sharma served a Joint Secretary for the Gulf region and OIC Affairs till October 1993. He acquired expertise in the issues concerning 3 million strong Indian Diaspora in the Gulf region.
Recognizing his flair for developing commercial relations, he was deputed to the newly created post of Joint Secretary (Defense Exports) in the Department of Defence Production. He prepared the first blue print for Defense Exports from India. He also prepared the plans for the first Aero India in Bangalore, which has now emerged as one of the premier Air Shows of Asia. During this period he also served on the Board of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), a large public sector undertaking manufacturing defence and earth moving equipment and railway coaches. He gave a major push to BEML’s export efforts and helped open several new markets for its products.
Mr Sharma had a highly successful tenure as Consul General Of India in Chicago (1996-2000) where he succeeded in substantially raising the profile of Mid-West region in Indo-US relations. He paid special attention to development of commercial relations with the mid-west region.
Recognizing his expertise on Indian Diaspora, Mr Sharma was appointed the Member Secretary of the High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora. The 600-pages Report of this Committee authored by him now provides the blue print for India’s engagement with its 20 million strong Diaspora. Mr Sharma was also the Member Secretary of the Organizing Committee for the 1st and 2nd Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Indian Diaspora Day) celebrations. His networking skills, excellent public relations and brilliant organizational abilities were the important factors for the success of these mega events.
As Secretary in charge of Consular Passport and Visa division he introduced bold reforms to simplify the procedures and decentralize the process making it possible to file applications in District H Q and Speed Post Centers. Thanks to his vision entire 10 years data of passports is computerized and available to all Indian Missions and Passport Offices.
An erudite scholar, Mr J C Sharma is an acknowledged authority on India’s cultural relations with South East Asia. He has authored two highly acclaimed books titled “Temples of Champa in Vietnam” and “Hindu Temples in Vietnam” on this subject. These are the first two books ever to be written in the English language on the temples of the ancient kingdom of Champa. He has also been invited in his capacity as Art Historian by world’s leading institutions like Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, Asia Society, New York, World Association of Vedic Studies, to speak on various aspects of India’s cultural relations with South East Asia.
He has maintained close association with NGOs and has taken several initiatives to facilitate their activities in India.
Mr Sharma has taken active interest in social and cultural life of Delhi. He is a member of the India International Centre, Indian National Trust for Arts & Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Delhi, United Service Institution of India, Delhi, India Habitat Centre (Spouse member), Delhi Gymkhana Club, Roshanara Club and Noida Golf Club.
Mr Sharma has a flair for learning foreign languages and has learnt Japanese, Bhasa Indonesia and Vietnamese.
His wife, Dr (Mrs) Kavita Sharma, Principal, Hindu College, is the first woman Principal of a Co-ed College of Delhi University. Mrs Sharma is also a renowned scholar and an acknowledged authority on Mahabharata and India’s aesthetic traditions.