New Delhi: D Bala Venkatesh Verma, Joint
Secretary Disarmament in the Ministry of External Affairs was
conferred on Friday with the first S K Singh Award for excellence
in the Indian Foreign Service.
The award was presented to him by UPA Chairperson Sonia
Gandhi in recognition of his "extradordinary efforts" to
strengthen India`s position during the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice President Hamid Ansari
fondly recalled his association with the late Rajasthan
Governor and said that the award institued in his name
confers recognition not on one person but will also motivate a
great many officers.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said the jury chose for
the award a diplomat, who made a differnce.
India`s Ambassador to US, Nirupama Rao, who gave an
introduction of the awardee and read the citation in absence
of Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna, described Verma
as one of the most distinguished bureaucrats practising
unquestionable professionalism.
Rao, a former foreign secretary, said the award was
conferred upon Verma for his extraordinary efforts to
strengthen India`s position in the India-US nuclear deal as a
key member of the India`s negotating team for the 123
agreement in 2008.
PTI
