Pavan Varma

Early life and education Varma a native of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh was born on 5 November 1953 in Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh (now Maharashtra). He graduated with a degree in History from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, where he stood first in his class. He subsequently obtained a degree in law from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976.

Career

Diplomatic career Varma joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976. Over the course of his diplomatic career, he held several key positions, including Press Secretary to the President of India, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Joint Secretary for Africa, High Commissioner of India to Cyprus, Director of the Nehru Centre in London, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and Ambassador of India to Bhutan. During this period, he was also appointed as the National General Secretary and National Spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United).

Varma served as the National General Secretary of the JD(U) until 29 January 2020. He subsequently joined the Trinamool Congress on 23 November 2021 and was appointed the party's National Vice-President on 19 December 2021. He resigned from the post and left the party on 12 August 2022, following political realignments in Bihar associated with the formation of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government.

Literary career Varma is a noted author and commentator on Indian culture, history, and society. He has written both non-fiction and translations, contributing significantly to public discourse through his publications. Some of his notable works include: Ghalib: The Man, The Times (1989) Krishna: The Playful Divine (1993) The Great Indian Middle Class (1998) Being Indian: The Truth About Why the 21st Century Will Be India's (2004) Becoming Indian: The Unfinished Revolution of Culture and Identity (2010) Chanakya's New Manifesto (2013) Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker (2018) The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas (2021)

Varma has also translated the poetry of prominent Indian figures including Kaifi Azmi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Gulzar into English. Varma is a regular columnist, with his articles appearing in publications such as The Times of India, The Asian Age, and other national and regional newspapers and journals.

Honours and recognition In 2005, Varma was awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the University of Indianapolis in recognition of his contributions to diplomacy, literature, culture, and aesthetics.

Varma has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from his alma mater, St. Xavier's School, Delhi, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. In February 2019, he was presented with the inaugural Wordsmith Award at the Words Count Festival in Pune. The same year, he was also honoured with the Kalinga International Literary Award for his contributions to Indian literature and public discourse.