Former Indian Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin has been appointed a part-time, non-official director on the RBI central board for four years. The appointment was notified on August 22, along with Annie George Mathew and Janmejaya Kumar Sinha.
Published Date – 25 August 2026, 04:30 PM
Sangareddy: Former Ambassador of India to the United Nations (UN) and Dean of the Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP) at GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad, Syed Akbaruddin has been appointed as a part-time, non-official director on the central board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of four years, with effect from the date of notification of his appointment, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The appointment was notified on August 22 by Kundan Nath, Under Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training. Along with him, Annie George Mathew and Janmejaya Kumar Sinha have also been appointed as part-time, non-official directors on the RBI central board.
Syed Akbaruddin is a distinguished Indian diplomat of the 1985 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), with a career spanning more than three decades. He served as India’s permanent representative to the UN in New York from 2016 to 2020. Earlier, he was the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs from January 2012 to April 2015 and served as head of external relations and policy coordination at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna from 2006 to 2011.
During his diplomatic career, Akbaruddin held several key assignments in India and abroad. He served in Cairo, Riyadh and Jeddah, developing considerable expertise in West Asian affairs. He also served as Director in the Foreign Secretary’s Office.
As India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Akbaruddin played a prominent role in advancing India’s interests at multilateral forums and was widely recognised for his effective diplomatic engagement. His tenure included significant contributions to issues such as counter-terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and international peace and security. As Dean of the Kautilya School of Public Policy, Akbaruddin continued to contribute to public policy education and the development of future leaders in India and beyond.
