Dear Members,
The Meet the Ambassador series was launched in 2017. We have been privileged to be joined by British High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Scott Wightman in March 2018, American Head of Mission, Mrs Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath in September 2017, and Japanese Ambassador, Mr Kenji Shinoda with Mr Lui Tuck Yew (the new Singapore Ambassador to Japan and former Cabinet minister) in April 2017.
Lions of Asia: The Ambitious Plan to Remake India and Singapore’s Strategic Partnership
Meet the Ambassadors Series: Fireside Chat with Mr. Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore and Mr. Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-large for Government of Singapore on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ambitious Plan to Remake India and Singapore’s Strategic Partnership
We are pleased to have the opportunity to host His Excellency, Mr. Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore and His Excellency Mr. Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-large for Government of Singapore as part of our Meet the Ambassadors Series.
Under Chatham House rules, Mr. Pillai and Mr. Ashraf have kindly agreed to share their thoughts on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governmental priorities and challenges, the 2019 elections in India, and India’s foreign policy in the region.
Join us for what is bound to be an engaging and interesting discussion, over dinner and drinks, moderated by Dato Paul Supramaniam. Sign up now via Peatix.
Lions of Asia: The Ambitious Plan to Remake India and Singapore’s Strategic Partnership
Venue: 2A Victoria Park Close, Singapore 266550
Date/Time: Friday, 28 September 7.15pm: drinks and dinner, 8pm: fireside chat
Tickets: $40 for members; $55 for non-member guests (must be accompanied by a member)
Sign-up: Via Peatix here
About the Speakers:
Jawed Ashraf
Mr. Jawed Ashraf joined as High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Singapore in November 2016. A career diplomat, High Commissioner Ashraf joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1991. He served in Frankfurt and Berlin from 1993 to 1999. He worked in the Americas Division of Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi from 1999 to 2004. He completed a three-year tenure as Counsellor at the Embassy in Kathmandu in 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Counsellor and Minister for Political Affairs in Washington DC and then headed the Americas Division in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi from 2010 to 2012.
High Commissioner Ashraf served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister‘s Office under Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, and his predecessor, Dr. Manmohan Singh. His portfolio included External Affairs, Defense, National Security, Atomic Energy, and Space. He returned to Ministry of External Affairs in January 2016 and was Joint Secretary (Special Projects) until his appointment in Singapore.
High Commissioner Ashraf studied Economics at St. Stephen‘s College, New Delhi and Management at Master‘s level at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
He recently published a coffee table book of his photographs, “A Day in the Life of Kathmandu”, dedicated to the victims of the Nepal earthquake of April 2015. Outdoor interests include tennis and trekking in the Himalayas.
He is married to Dr. Ghazala Shahabuddin, an ecologist and conservation biologist.
Gopinath Pillai
Mr. Pillai obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Malaya, Singapore in 1961. He has had a varied career as an entrepreneur and diplomat. He ¡s the founding Chairman of the Management Board of the Institute of South Asian Studies, Ambassador-at Large ¡n the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since August 2008, and Singapore’s Special Envoy to Andhra Pradesh. He served as Singapore’s longest serving Non-Resident Ambassador to Iran between 1989 and 2008, and as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Pakistan between 1994 and 2001. He is also Chairman of the Indian Heritage Centre Advisory Board.
For his manifold contributions to public service, the Singapore government has awarded him the Public Service Star Award (BBM) in 1999, BBM (BAR) in 2009 and The Meritorious Service Medal in 2015. For his efforts ¡n bridging and advancing Singapore-India relations, the Indian government conferred him with the Padma Shri Award at the 2012 Republic Day. The National University of Singapore has bestowed on him the Outstanding Service Award in 2015. In 2016, the National University of Singapore Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences has bestowed on him the Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Award.