Lakshmi Puri

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia
Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We need your support to keep the flame of knowledge burning bright! Our hosting server bill is due on June 1st, and without your help, Bharatpedia faces the risk of shutdown. We've come a long way together in exploring and celebrating our rich heritage. Now, let's unite to ensure Bharatpedia continues to be a beacon of knowledge for generations to come. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Together, let's preserve and share the essence of Bharat.

Thank you for being part of the Bharatpedia family!
Please scan the QR code on the right to donate.

0%

   

transparency: ₹0 raised out of ₹100,000 (0 supporter)


Lakshmi Puri
Lakshmi Puri.jpg
Lakshmi Puri in 2014.
Born1952
NationalityIndian
EducationB.A. (in History) - University of Delhi;
M.A. - Panjab University at Chandigarh
OccupationFormer Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women; Former Ambassador of India
Years active1974 - Present
Spouse(s)Hardeep Singh Puri

Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri[1] (born 1952) is a former assistant secretary-general at the United Nations and the former deputy executive director of UN Women.[2] Prior to her 15-year stint at the United Nations, she served as an Indian diplomat for 28 years. From 1999 until 2002, she was India's Ambassador to Hungary, while also concurrently accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Education and personal life[edit]

Puri studied for her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in history at the University of Delhi, and her Master's degree at Panjab University.[2][3] She also holds professional diplomas in history, public policy and administration, international relations and law, and economic development.[3]

She is married to Hardeep Singh Puri, who is an Indian politician and former diplomat. He currently serves as a cabinet minister in the Government of India.[needs update] His appointment as Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas began in July 2021, and as Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in September 2017. They have two daughters.

Career[edit]

Civil Service[edit]

Ambassador Puri joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974 and served in Japan, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland (in Geneva). She was appointed ambassador to Hungary in March 1999 and served there until July 2002, while also accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During her term there, she worked closely with the UN peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNPROFOR).[1][4] At the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters in Delhi, she served as the undersecretary on the Japan and Korea desk and later as undersecretary on the Pakistan desk. She also served as the Joint-Secretary Economic Division and Multilateral Economic Relations (ED & MER) for six years. She was active in negotiating India's many bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral economic diplomacy initiatives such as the Look East policy, Indo-ASEAN Dialogue Partnership, Indian-Ocean Rim Association, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation as well as for the Group of 15 forum.

United Nations[edit]

UNCTAD[edit]

Puri continued with her trade and economic policy work when she joined the United Nations in 2002 as the director of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) flagship Division on Trade in goods, services and commodities.[1] She became Acting Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD (2007 to 2009).[5] From 2009 to 2011, she was director of the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-ORLLS) in New York.

UN Women[edit]

Puri was appointed assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and deputy executive director of the pioneering global entity for promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women - UN Women in 2011.[2]

Recognition and awards[edit]

Puri was the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights in 2016,[6] the Novus Award for Championing the Sustainable Development Goals (Novus Summit), and the Millennium Campus Award 2015.[7] In 2017, for her role in ensuring that a specific gender equality and women’s empowerment goal was adopted as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, Puri was recognized for her advocacy and leadership with the inaugural Diwali Power of One award from the Diwali Foundation USA, (in partnership with the Permanent Missions of India, Belarus, and Georgia to the United Nations).[8]

Selected publications[edit]

Puri is a published author of several reports and research papers:

  • Driving the Gender-Responsive Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN Women, May 2016. [1]
  • Aid for Trade: Global and Regional perspectives. UNU-CRIS (editor and author), April 2009. [2]
  • Addressing the Global Energy Crisis. UNCTAD publication (editor), December 2008.
  • Interface between Trade & Climate Change. UNCTAD publication (editor), November 2007.
  • Multilateralism and South-South Cooperation. UNCTAD publication (co-author), September 2004. [3]
  • Trade and Development Review 2003. UNCTAD publication (author introduction), April 2004. [4]

See also[edit]

Civil Services of India

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Ms Lakshmi Puri appointed UN-OHRLLS director". UN-OHRLLS. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 UN Department of Public Information - News and Media Division, New York (11 March 2011). "Secretary-General Appoints Lakshmi Puri of India Assistant Secretary-General for Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships, UN Women". United Nations. Secretary-General Press Press Doc ID: SG/A/1283 BIO/4274 WOM/1857 - Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Heroica Foundation (7 February 2016). "Lakshmi Puri: Equal Means Equal". EqualMeansEqual.com. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  4. ↑ Indian Embassy, Hungary [on Instagram]. ""Ms. Lakshmi Puri, presently Assistant Secretary-General of UN Women was India's Ambassador to Hungary from March 1999 to July 2002 ..." Instagram. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2020. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  5. ↑ "Petko Draganov of Bulgaria appointed as UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General". unctad.org. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri receives the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award". UN Women. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "Lakshmi Puri Global Generation Award speech". UN Women. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri among top diplomats to receive the Power of One award". UN Women. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2021.


Stub icon

This Indian diplomat-related article is a stub. You can help Bharatpedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/index.php?title=Lakshmi_Puri&oldid=253255"