Bhavika Mangalanandan, the First Secretary of Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, is in news after her fiery reply to Pakistan after the latter chose to rake-up Jammu and Kashmir issue during the ongoing 79th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). She gave a befitting response to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after he made an addition in a long list of Pakistan's attempts to raise the Kashmir issue internationally while the nation continued its active support to terrorist activities in India and other countries in the region. In a 'Right to Reply', Bhavika Mangalanandan exposed Pakistan's 'hypocrisy' and strongly asserted that Jammu and Kashmir was an 'inalienable and integral' part of India.
Who is Bhavika Mangalanandan?
Bhavika Mangalanandan is an Indian Institute of Techology (IIT), Delhi graduate and been working as a diplomat with India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for 9 years. She cleared Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam in the year 2015 and was selected for the premier Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
Bhavika Mangalanandan education
Bhavika Mangalanandan earned an M.Tech. degree at IIT-Delhi. Her specialisation was Energy Studies. She graduated in 2011.
Bhavika Mangalanandan professional career
Working as an IFS officer was not her first foray in the professional world. She worked as Assistant System Engineer at Tata Consultancy Services from 2007-2009. After studying at IIT-Delhi from 2009-2011, she worked as Senior Engineer (Marketing) at Schneider Electric. She worked at this company from 2011 to 2012.
What did Bhavika Mangalanandan say at the UNGA?
She gave a befitting reply to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who earlier demanded at the UNGA that India should reverse abrogation of Article 370. Pakistan chose to meddle in India's internal affairs right when the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is in the process of conducting elections for legislative assembly.
"Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours," Mangalanandan stated.
"It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital Mumbai, marketplaces, and pilgrimage routes. The list is long," she said
"For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that too, in a democracy," said the Indian diplomat.
She categorised Pakistani PM's comments as a 'travesty'.
Mangalanandan also had a warning for Pakistan.
"There can be no compact with terrorism. In fact, Pakistan should realise that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences," she told Pakistan.
"It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly even now, dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama bin Laden." she said as slammed Pakistan in full view of the international community.