Ronen Sen

Ronen Sen
Sen in the United States in 2016
21st Ambassador of India to the United States
In office
August 2004 – March 2009
Preceded byLalit Mansingh
Succeeded byMeera Shankar
19th High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom
In office
May 2002 – April 2004
Preceded byNareshwar Dayal
Succeeded byKamalesh Sharma
17th Ambassador of India to Germany
In office
October 1998 – May 2002
Preceded byS. K. Lambah
Succeeded byT. C. A. Rangachari
1st Ambassador of India to Russia
In office
October 1992 – October 1995
Preceded byA. S. Gonsalves
(then Soviet Union)
Succeeded byS. K. Lambah
15th Ambassador of India to South Korea
In office
29 September 1991 – 24 September 1992
Preceded byU. C. Soni
Succeeded byP. A. Nazareth
Personal details
Born (1944-04-09) 9 April 1944 (age 79)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
SpouseKalpana Sen
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Calcutta
OccupationCivil servant IFS

Ranendra "Ronen" Sen (born 9 April 1944) is an Indian diplomat who was India's ambassador to the United States of America from August 2004 to March 2009. His contribution to the landmark US India Nuclear Deal of 2005 is considered of immense importance.[1]

Career

Mr. Sen served as an Independent Director of Tata Motors, from 1 June 2010 till 2012. On 1 April 2015, Mr. Sen was appointed as a non-executive independent director on the board of Tata Sons, the promoter company of major companies in the Tata Group.[2]

Controversies

"Headless chicken" remark

In August 2007, Sen was issued notice (and subsequently censured) by the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to explain the "headless chicken" remark he was alleged to have made in an off-the-record interview published by Rediff.com on 20, August 2007, titled: "We will have zero credibility" on the Atomic Energy Pact. Sen had said:

It has been approved here (in Washington, DC) by the President, and there (in New Delhi) it's been approved by the Indian cabinet. So why do you have all this running around like a headless chicken, looking for a comment here or comment there, and these little storms in a tea-cup?[3]

Following the uproar over this remark, Sen later tendered his apology before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee. Sen clarified:

My comment about "running round like headless chicken looking for a comment here or comment there" was a tactless observation on some of my media friends, and most certainly not with reference to any Honourable Member of Parliament.[3]

The Lok Sabha Committee and the Rajya Sabha, panel decided to close the issue, since "Sen has tendered unconditional and sincere apologies".[3] The Rajya Sabha Committee said, in it report, tabled in the House:

In view of Sen's acceptance of having made the impugned remarks and that the same were unwarranted, and having tendered his unconditional apology, the Committee recommends that the matter should be allowed to rest here.

In its uncharacteristic[according to whom?] censure, the Rajya Sabha panel felt his remarks were:

not only in poor taste but also unwarranted... personal frame of mind should not have influenced public utterances of a senior and experienced diplomat... The Committee expects that such lapses, as admitted by him, shall not recur[3]

References

  1. ^ Gupta, Shekhar (2 November 2010). "The US made Headley, an undertrial, available to us. Which intelligence agency will do that?". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Ronen Sen, Farida Khambata appointed directors of Tata Sons". NetIndian. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d PTI (26 November 2007). "Headless chicken comment: Ronen Sen let off the hook". Rediff. Retrieved 26 May 2018.

External links

  • The Washington Diplomat Newspaper - Ambassador profile
  • Profile on website of Indian embassy
  • Ronen Sen lobbying for Dow Chemicals
Political offices
Preceded by Indian Ambassador to the United States
2004-2009
Succeeded by
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